To Which Fire Consume
by backstrokebeasterbunny
Summary: Set at beginning of season 2. With Katharine back Damon and Elena are getting closer as her and Stefan are growing apart. will the stress and Stefan's growing jealousy push Elena into Damon's open arms or will her original love survive?
1. Chapter 1

Dear Diary

_I couldn't believe what was happening. My brain was over whelmed with too much in such a short period of time. I almost lost Stefan and Damon yesterday, but thanks to Bonnie, their ok. But they wouldn't have been in danger if it wasn't for her to begin with. I also found out that John is my father in the same day….and that Katherine killed him….in my house…pretending to be me. _

As I thought about walking into my kitchen the other night I felt a tear roll down my face.

_I couldn't believe it, I mean, I never really liked the man. He knew he was my father and was in my life but refused to tell me. But some how finding out he was my dad, then him dying, made it all worse. And the fact that Katherine killed him is the worst of all. Why the hell was she back? What does she want? And what was this going to do to Stefan and Damon? Especially Damon, he was just getting over the fact she wasn't in the tomb._

"I thought I'd find you here" a voice spoke from the forest. I looked up from my journal to see Damon leaning against the tree with one of his smirks spread across his face. I noticed that it didn't quite reach his eyes. I closed the book and turned my body to face him. I've been sitting in the cemetery by my parents grave stone. It probably wasn't smart to be here by myself but I didn't really have the mind to care. And with Katherine back Stefan has been smothering me and I just can't take it. As if reading my mind Damon told me so. He walked over to sit down next to me.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I see you walk here quite often; from there I just needed to find where exactly it is you go." We were silent for a while, just looking out into the trees. I glanced over to him catching him staring at me, when I had to ask.

"How are you doing with this Damon? With her being back?" I felt like I had to know, like I wanted him to console in me how he was feeling for once.

He didn't say anything right away, just looking away from me. Till he finally spoke "You know I thought I kissed you last night… when I left your house, Katherine walked up to me and I thanked her then kissed her. Thinking it was you. I felt so happy on that moment, actually smiling all the way home." He let out a nervous laugh; I've never seen him nervous before. "I felt like I was loved, appreciated…worth _something. _Things I haven't felt in over 100 years." He was silent again and I couldn't bring myself to say anything. What was I supposed to say? He looked at me then, sadness in his eyes once again. "I've probably never felt that though" he stopped.

"Felt what?" my voice sounded small, like I was afraid of the answer he was going to give. He looked like he was going to cry, I've never seen him so broken before.

"Love, the only woman I loved played me like a flute, and what I thought was real was trash to her. So much so that she let me believe she was either dead or trapped for over a hundred years. To waste so much time looking for her when she never gave a shit about me!" he got up vampire speed during his rant, and then at the end punched a tree. I stood up in surprise. "And when I fucking think I had a moment of something, it was just her toying with my emotions again, in the sickest way possible. I never want to see her again! That bitch can burn in hell for all I care!" he punched the tree again, letting out his anger. He had every right to. I walked behind him, putting my hand on his trembling shoulder. He turned his face to me, locking eyes. "Am I not worth anything?"

I felt another tear go down my cheek as I enveloped him in a hug. He buried his head in my hair "of course, you're worth everything Damon"

He broke away from me after a moment or two, "And here I thought I was the one to do the comforting."

"We all need comforting sometimes, it's only normal." I said; I liked that he finally opened up to me, that he trusted me with what he was going though. I wanted to be there for him, he was my friend after all. He dropped the hug and laughed a little, running his hand though his hair.

"I'm not exactly normal Elena. In case you haven't noticed." He stated back in his cool and collected tone of voice. He noticed the confused looked on my face at his sudden change in mood. "I can turn it off, the feelings. Like a switch, and poof, I don't feel it. Makes me more fun to be around don't you agree? Not exactly normal right?"

"Hey, what do you say we be normal for one night? Just the two of u,s as friends?" he did that thing with his eyes that made him look suggestive. I would lie if I said it didn't make him look mysteriously sexy. He sped so he was right in front of me.

"And what were you suggesting?" he smirked again.

"Oh get your mind out of the gutter Damon" I nudged his shoulder and stepped back.

"My mind was no where near the gutter, but apparently yours was. Naughty." He wagged his finger at me. Making me roll my eyes at him again, I just ignored him.

"I don't know, just a night in I guess. I'm not really up for public yet. And no mention of witches or vampires or Katherine."

"Ok, a night in, just the two of us. How about my place tomorrow night? Around 7? Stefan will be out hunting so it will just be us." he said the last part slowly, as if I didn't understand what 'just the two of us' meant. I felt the need to explain myself.

"Nothing's going to happen between us. It's just going to be quite. And I need some time with just a friend. Stefan is being very closed off form me since she got back and I feel tense around him. It sounds weird but just having fun would be great."

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you tomorrow then." He gave me one last smile and turned to walk out of the cemetery though the trees. _Well this should be interesting. _I thought to myself as I gathered my journal and pen that were now on the ground. I headed out of the cemetery also so I would be home before dark. I didn't really feel too safe at home though since Katharine had been invited in by Aunt Jenna. Stefan gave me a vervain necklace to give her, so she could be safe from being compelled. I also have one to give one Caroline and bracelet thing for Caroline to give to Matt.

After I found John I called Stefan and he ran the body a town over into the woods. It hasn't been found yet and I'd rather not think of what will happen when it is. In fact I'd rather never think of any of this, but it was like it was inescapable


	2. Chapter 2

**i forgot to state this in the first chapter but i own nothing. this story is set at the beginning of season 2 and will be in Elena's point of view or third person. i hope you enjoy the rest of my story. here's chapter two!**

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**EPOV**

I arrived at the Salvatore's mansion a few minutes after seven on Friday night. I hadn't seen or talked to Damon since the cemetery yesterday so I didn't know if we were still hanging out tonight. To be honest I was a little more excited then I thought I would have been to be spending my Friday night a lone with Damon. But I needed a normal night, and I knew he did too; a night with out the 'V' word, just two friends having fun. I wasn't really sure what we were doing but I could only hope he doesn't make me regret it by cracking one of his smart ass remarks. I was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, sneakers, and a short sleeve shirt with a peace sign on it, nice and casual.

I rang the doorbell to the double doors of the huge house. I was looking out to the sky line at the sunset when a voice startled me. I jumped and whipped my head to see Damon standing in the doorway holding back laughter. "A little jumpy are we?"

"It wasn't that funny. And I didn't even hear you open the door, your voice just startled me; that's all" I said crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Understandable, you were very transfixed in the sunset." His eyes looked past my head and his smile softened, "Beautiful isn't it?" I turned my head to look back at the red and purple of the setting sun.

"Yea it is" We both seemed to be mesmerized by the colors that were painted though out the sky for a few moments. I turned back to him to see the colors washing lightly over his face. The colors brought out his features more sharply; it made him look almost statue like. He was motionless, wasn't even blinking.

His eyes flicked back to mine after another moment and he stepped aside from the door. "Come on in." I walked into the foyer and Damon closed the door behind me.

"So what's on the agenda for this evening?" I asked taking my coat off and folding it over the back of the coach as Damon walked passed me and headed toward the kitchen. He turned toward me, walking backwards as he made his way.

"I thought we'd cook some dinner, so I hope you haven't eaten. Then see what time it is after that and maybe watch a movie." He turned back around "I haven't hung out with a friend in a while so I wasn't really sure what to plan. Dinner sounded safe enough."

I followed him to the kitchen "I'll have to warn you, I'm not the best cook." I laughed a little thinking of the time's I tried to help my mom in the kitchen.

"No worries, I happen to be a phenomenal cook." We were in the kitchen now and he started taking a few things out of the refrigerator.

"I never would have guessed, since you don't really eat…well food, you know being a…" he turned around wagging his finger at me.

"Ah ah ah, we agreed there would be no mention of the 'V' word." He teased with his little grin. I just rolled my eyes at him and shook my head.

"I was just curious on where you become passionate for cooking. But in any case, what are we making Chef?" I said with fake enthusiasm.

"I'm glad you asked, and I don't appreciate the sarcasm. We are making beer battered Scrod and a salad. If that's ok with you?"

" Scrod?" I said with a small look of discuss on my face.

"It's a type of fish." He explained taking out a white wrapped mass out of the fridge; that I guessed was the fish.

"I know what it is, but Scrod?"

"Have you ever had it?"

"No, but it sounds gross." I answered, wrinkling my nose again. "I mean, what kind of a name is Scrod?"

"If you've never had it how exactly do you know you don't like it?" he gave me a look.

"Fine, I'll try it."

"That's my girl." He closed the fridge, "Now get over here and help." I walked over to the counter waiting to be given something to do. Damon got a large skillet from the pot rack, put some olive oil in it and placed it on the stove. "Elena, can I ask you a question?"

"Yea sure."

"What color bowtie was I wearing when I escorted you to the ball?" I was a little thrown off by his question, thinking it was totally random. I stopped for a moment, remembering what tie he was wearing.

"You weren't wearing a bowtie." At lest I didn't think he was. "It was just a simple black tie."

"Ok, just making sure. Would you like some wine?" I was still confused as to why he asked me about a tie but agreed to the wine anyway.

"As long as you're not trying to get me drunk."

"But you were so fun when we went to Georgia." He grinned as he poured two glasses of red wine.

"I resent that, I don't have to be drunk to be fun. " He handed me my glass, we clinked, and took a sip.

"Would you mind measuring two cups of flower into that bowl?"

"Sure, no problem." I agreed, putting my glass down and measuring out the flour. I heard an opening of a bottle and Damon appeared next to me pouring the Bud Light into the bowl. I stepped out of the way as he grabbed a whisk and started mixing the dry with the wet. "I think you are trying to get me drunk. Giving me wine then slipping beer into my food." I could see him starting to smile, and so was I.

"You caught me, but since you seem so ok with getting a little tipsy we could break out the hard stuff." He laughed, still whisking. "I thought we'd just have a nice quiet night but if that's what you want to do, I got some whisky or some vodka."

"No, I think I'm good with the wine. Maybe some other time we can do vodka shots." I joked taking another sip of my glass. It was quite good; you could pick out the different flavors. I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on the spices.

"Good wine isn't it?" I nodded in agreement, still having my eyes closed. "It's aged well, as you know wine only gets better with age, 1890, almost as old as I am." I opened my eyes to see him grinning at his little pun.

"I thought we weren't going to mention the 'V' word?" I threw his words back at him

"Technically I didn't say it. But you're right, back to cooking. Can you separate that egg for me?" I picked the egg off the counter and took a small bowl. I stood in front of the bowl not knowing what to do. I could hear Damon's laughter.

"I've never separated an egg before ok. I told you I wasn't a good cook."

"I'll teach you, it's very simple." He came up behind me taking my hand holding the egg in his. He was about a head taller then I so I could feel his chin angled at the top of my head. He rotated my hand so the egg was resting on the edge of the bowl. "First you need to crack the egg by lightly hitting it against the bowl." I cracked the egg like he told me, getting a tiny whole in the egg. "Then you need to separate the shells, but keeping the egg white and yolk in one half." I took my other hand and tugged the top part of the shell off, putting it on the counter. He took my free hand and placed it in the air palm face up, placing his under it. "You need to spread your fingers slightly" I did and he did under mine, "and flip the egg into your hand to let the whites slip though your fingers." He flipped the egg into my hand, a shiver running down my spine from the coldness hitting my, seemly overly warm, fingers. I could feel him smirk behind me as I put the empty shell onto the counter. "Now just keep transferring the egg form one hand to the other till you only have the yolk left." With his fingers still undermine I passed the egg back and forth from one hand to the other. When all the whites were gone I put the yolk into a separate bowl.

We washed our hands and Damon put the yolk into his beer mixture. He handed me the whisk, indicating that he wanted me to take over that task. As I whisked he unwrapped the fish from its paper and cut it into five smaller pieces, salting and peppering both sides. He got a pie plate out and put some flower into it, setting it by my bowl and the fish. "So what you're going to do is cover both sides of the fish with flower, dip them into the batter, then carefully putting them into the pan. I don't need you burning your fingers."

"Wow, I didn't know that tonight was going to be dangerous. If I would have known I would have come a bit more prepared." I laughed.

"What can I say I like to live on the edge, everything I do involves danger. Now chop chop, I'm hungry." I was feeling so normal I didn't over think the word 'hungry' for him. As far as I was thinking at the moment was that we were two normal friends hanging out, cooking some food.

I picked up one piece of fish, floured it and dunked it into the batter. My fingers instantly were caked in the gooey mixture. Putting the fish into the pan I moved on to the next one with the same two fingers hopping to avoid too many fingers getting covered. After the third piece Damon told me to hold off on the last two so the current could cook.

As I waited is stared at my fingers, pressing them together then pulling them apart, watching the mixture making connectors between my fingertips. "I'm going to be honest, this feels kind of gross." I stated pressing them together again.

"From what I can tell you're secretly enjoying it. Look at you; you look so amused by the slightest little thing." He grinned pointing to my fingers playing with the batter. I just sneered at him in response, and wiped my fingers across his cheek, leaving a trail of white gooeyness. He slowly turned him face away from the stove to look at me. I could tell he was trying to stay serious. "You did not just do that?"

"If I did, what are you planning to do about it?" I grinned at him and he smirked back. In a second, or maybe it was less, he was standing in front of me. I was pinned flush between his body and the counter. His arm reached behind me and I could feel my heart beat quicken. In another second his hand was smearing over my chin and lips. I could taste the beer batter and the flour.

"That, is what I'm going to do about It." he grinned and stepped away from me.

"Oh, it's on." Stuck my hand in the bowl again and flung the batter at him. He dodged my aim easily and it hit a cabinet behind him. My hands flung to my mouth when I saw the batter working its way into the groves.

"Now that's not very nice, and very inconvenient." He turned his head to see the damage I made to his cabinet. I took this opportunity to nail him in the back of the head with another glob. With out turning to me he reached his hand and grabbed some of it out of his hair, rubbing it between his fingers. Turning, he threw that little bit at me and rushed behind me to put some on my own head.

We spent a good twenty minutes throwing things at each other; the kitchen was a complete mess. Flour was on the floor, batter was on the cabinets, and on our selves. After we were done throwing things the fish was done, cooled and ready to eat. He put some on my plate with some salad and tartar sauce and handed it to me. I made my way over to the bar stoles to have a seat.

"What do you think you're doing?" I turned to give him a questioning look.

"Going to go sit down and eat?" it sound more of a question then a statement.

"Not with a battered ass you're not." I turned my head to see that there was batter on my jeans and it probably wasn't a good idea to sit on his cloth chairs. It might be a pain to get out. I looked back at him to see him sitting with his back against the counter and the dish balanced on his lap. I walked over to join him, lowering myself next to him. I took a bite of the fish and let out a moan.

"This is amazing." I stated, taking another bite.

"Why thank you." He grinned with such accomplishment. "See, I told you that you'd like Scrod." He said in an 'I told you so' tone, taking a bite of his own food.

"How could I ever of doubted you?" I joked back. We ate the rest of our meal with light conversation, talking about mostly random things. I couldn't help but notice things that were purposely avoided; like vampires, Katharine, and Stefan. It was nice and I felt so normal. Some where along in the conversation when we were done eating and put our plates aside, Damon's head ended up in my lap and my fingers running though his now gunky hair as best they could. I felt so relaxed, and I could feel his muscles relax as well.

"Paris" Damon's soft voice made its way though the silence. I looked down at him confused, his eyes staring up at me. I had no idea what he was talking about.

"Huston" I said back, smiling, he gave his own look of confusion. "What? We weren't naming random cities?" he let out a chuckle and shook his head slightly. "Well then you can understand my confusion when you randomly say Paris."

"You wanted to know where I got my passion for cooking, Paris." I made a silent 'O' shape with my mouth indicating I remembered.

"You were in Paris? When?" I always wanted to go to France.

"Which time? I've been there often." I gave him a stern look. "The time I found that I liked cooking was probably fifty years ago. I went to Paris and kind of just took up the new hobby. I needed something new, it happens every once in a while. I bought a place and went to culinary school in the best food country in the world."

"Why'd you leave?"

"I was there till I was trying to push 40; people were starting to ask questions."

"Do you miss it?"

"Of course I did, I couldn't go back to Paris, at lest not yet. I have to at lest wait until the generation is gone. But I bought a place in Nice, probably four years ago. I've been away from that for about two years, I was thinking about taking another little vacation soon."

"What's your place like?" I asked, starting my fingers path though his hair again. I leaned my head back against the cabinet, closing my eyes again so I could try to picture it.

"It's beautiful, small, but all I need. It's two floors: two bedrooms, one bathroom and a kitchen."

"No living room?" he laughed a little at the word 'living'

"No, I renovated it to make a bigger kitchen. It has dark wood cabinets, with granite counter top, an old fashion oven, pizza oven, and five burner stove. It sounds bigger then it actually looks. And believe it or not but I hosted a few dinner parties while I was there last."

"Really? And ah, anyone stay afterwards?" I was trying to ask in the politest way possible if he had anyone _for_ dinner. I opened my eyes to look at him for a moment; his smile grew with his eyes still closed.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"No, not really, continue."

"Thought not," I closed my eyes again to refocus on his French home. "The master bedroom has light blue walls, with an iron post queen bed; double glass doors with light white currents that lead out to a small balcony. The sun light that comes in is extraordinary, makes the room feel bigger, with the light walls and white sheets. The other bedroom has a single bed and a dresser with a large window on the side of the house. The view on that one is another house, nothing too spectacular there."

I let out a yawn, "Sounds nice." I don't remember his answer as I drifted off to sleep with Damon's head in my lap.

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**how cute was that? please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Next thing I knew I was waking up in the most comfortable bed I've ever been in. The pillows were so fluffy and sheets were so clean. Everything was extraordinarily white I felt like I was floating on a cloud. I slowly opened my eyes to see open French glass doors that looked out at a distant vineyard. The sun that shown in was extremely bright that I had to shield my eyes from the beautiful landscape. As my head was buried in the pillows I heard another door open. I lifted my head again to see who came in, only remembering now I wasn't exactly sure where I was. This room was defiantly not in the Salvatore mansion, but I wasn't scared. It felt kind of homey.

The person who came in had his back turned to me. He had white pants on that hung low on his hips, no shirt and was running a towel though his hair. Indicating he just got out of the shower, which explained the shirtlessness. I took the time to admire the muscles in his back, and sat up on my elbows to get a better look. The man turned around, it was Damon! He was standing in the same room I was sleeping in, looking for a shirt! "I thought you were awake." He set the towel down on a chair by the dresser; I was still staring at him, half in surprise and half in admiration. "Like what you see?"

I could feel my lips smile on their own accord. I could tell he was staring at me too with the sheet no longer up to my chin. I looked down realizing what I was wearing; it was a silk night gown, a light lavender color with darker lavender lace trim that looked like it was from Victoria's Secret. I looked back into his eyes seeing him still staring at me. "Like what _you_ see?" I heard myself ask, but I didn't mean to ask.

He was on the bed over me in an instant, lowering his lips to my ear "So much so." He whispered. He looked down at me again, lowering his lips to mine with out looking away. Right as our lips were about to touch my head shot forward off the cabinet and eyes opened. I looked around to take in my surroundings. I was in the Salvatore kitchen, on the floor, with Damon's head on my lap. I looked down to find him peacefully sleeping. _What the hell was that about? _That was the weirdest/best dream I've ever had.

I felt him stir and looked down to see Damon rub his hands over his face, my little movement must have woken him up. "What time is it?" he asked, hands still covering his face. I looked at the clock on the oven.

"Just after two." I answered with a yawn and stretched my arms above my head. I forced myself to put that short dream in the back of my mind for now. I looked around to see the messy kitchen and could feel the batter from dinner completely hardened in my hair. Damon sat up and picked a flake off the top of my head.

"You look a mess." He laughed, going back to get another flake. I swatted his hand away.

"You don't look to hot yourself right now."

"So are you saying I normally look hot?" he asked doing that thing with his eyebrows. I didn't answer him but just got up, feeling some bones crack from being in the same position for so long. Damon got up also, bending backwards to stretch his back and core. He straightened himself to take a look at the kitchen.

"And I thought we were going to have a peaceful night. Look at the kitchen; you'd think pigs went though." I gave an innocent grin, knowing it was mostly my fault.

"Why don't you get a shower before we start cleaning up the kitchen?"

"Are you not showering?" he gave me a look of mock disgust.

"I have to call Jenna; I didn't really tell her I was going to be anywhere this late." All he said was oh, nodded his head and made his way up the stairs. I picked up my phone from the island to see I had a missed call from Jenna. I pressed speed dial and got her voice mail. "Hey Jenna, it's Elena. Sorry I didn't call you earlier; Bonnie and I feel asleep watching a movie in her living room. Just letting you know I'm fine and will be spending the rest of the night here also. Night." I lied easily, knowing she wouldn't be pleased with me spending the night at the Salvatore's.

I closed my phone and put it back on the counter. Walking over to the sink I thought I'd get a head start on the dishes. After washing the pot and halfway though the bowl I heard Damon making his way down stars. "Shower's all yours." I turned my head from the bowl to see Damon wearing a pair of dark PJ pants, a shirt over his shoulder and rubbing his hair with the towel. I was having such a déjà vu moment that I couldn't help but stare. "Enjoying the view?" his voice brought me out of my daze to see he was smirking at me again, something he did often.

"Sorry, spaced out a little." Putting the sponge down I made my way past Damon to get up the stairs, I stopped at the bottom remembering I told Jenna I was spending the night at Bonnie's house but never asked Damon if I could stay here, that and I didn't have any cloths. "Hey Damon!" I called into the kitchen, he appeared at the doorway now wearing a PJ shirt.

"What can I do for you?"

"I told Jenna I was spending the night at Bonnie's, but seeing that I can't really go over there this late can I spend the night here?"

"I guess if you have to it would be ok. But make sure you're really clean before you crawl in my bed."

"I think I'll sleep in Stefan's room, but thanks for the offer." His face fell at the mention of his brother, and I instantly felt bad. "Can I borrow some clothes? I didn't really bring any and I'd rather not rummage though his drawers."

"Yea, there's a laundry basket on the floor in my room with all clean clothes in it, help yourself"

"Thanks." I answered before making my way up the stairs. I walked down the hall way and passed the door I normally go in to get to the door at the end of the hall. I assumed it was Damon's room, since the other doors were the bathroom and a closet. His room was very neat: bed, dresser, and closet, pictures covering the walls, whether they were paintings, drawings, or large photographs. I stepped further into his room, amazed by all the different types of artwork; there were paintings of landscapes, pen and ink of cityscapes, watercolor sunsets, and drawn faces. There was every kind of media you could think of all hung tastefully on the wall. Not wanting to get caught in the middle of his room I looked around for the cloths. Like Damon said there was a basket of folded cloths by the door; I dug through and found a pair of boxers and a T-shirt to wear and headed into the bathroom for my shower.

When I was finished with my shower and dressed in Damon's clothes I wrapped my hair in the towel and went down stairs to help him with the kitchen. When I entered the kitchen I noticed it was perfectly clean, I looked around expecting to see batter all over the cabinets but saw nothing. "mmmhhhmmm, I don't think I've ever seen you look so good." I turned to see Damon drinking a dark liquid from a scotch glass, and it was safe to say it wasn't scotch. "You should wear my clothes more often." He purred looking me up and down, surprisingly it didn't make me feel too uncomfortable.

"They are very comfortable. Of course it's a little concerning that you have silk boxers"

"Are you inferring that that makes me gay?" wow, he was very blunt.

"I didn't _say_ that." I avoided eye contact to get him a little peeved. In a second he was right in front of me, hand resting on my cheek.

"I could always show you how wrong you are." He purred again, doing that thing with his eyes.

"Damon…" I whispered, I didn't want to go here; at lest not tonight when things were supposed to be normal. His other hand reached up and tugged at the towel, letting my hair fall down, and tossed the towel onto a chair.

"Elena" he said my name as softly as I said his. With out looking away from me he lifted up my right hand and placed a cold band on my ring finger. "I want you to wear this." I looked down to see a gorgeous silver ring; it had a lavender stone on it with an intricate vine going around the band. "It was my mother's" my head shot up at his words and stared at him in disbelief.

"Damon, I cant except this." I went to take off the ring but was stopped by his hand. I looked up into his eyes again to see complete seriousness and openness.

"You can and you will. Do you know why I asked what color bow tie I was wearing, earlier?" I was actually questioning that but just decided to let it go. I shook my head slightly in response. "Because I wanted to make sure it was you. I asked a question that I knew only you would know." I guess I should have been able to put that together, it seemed simple enough. His hand went back to my cheek, running his fingers against it lightly. "I can't tell the difference between the two of you, and it scares me. I thought I'd be able to, like there would be some distinction that told me, yes that it Elena; but there isn't and I don't like that." There was a pause where I felt like I should say something, but I couldn't find the right words.

"That's why I want you to wear this. The stone is very rare and very hard to come by, I know, I've tried. And the craftsmanship is very apparent, one of a kind. She won't be able to duplicate it. It's also small, something she can easily look over if she tries to impersonate you again. That's why you need to wear it and never take it off. I don't want her to play me, or my brother, like that again; it's cruel and so painful." His eyes were burning into mine.

"Damon," I whispered again still not truly knowing what to say.

"Promise me you'll never take it off." He said in a stern voice.

"I promise." I couldn't help but wrap my arms around him and pull him close to me. "Thank you and I'm so sorry for what you've gone though. I'll take good care of your mother's ring."

"I know you will." He said quietly, holding me close. I felt as if this was the first time he was allowing himself to be comforted, it was something he needed and I didn't mind offering. Both of our bodies relaxed into each other and we just held one another in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Elena?" I lifted my head from Damon's chest and whipped it around to look behind me at the voice who called my name, which didn't belong to the man I was holding. In the door way to the foyer was Stefan, looking confused, concerned, and a little angry and I think…jealous.

"Stefan!" I greeted in shock, not expecting to see him. I dropped my arms from around Damon and he reluctantly let me go also.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked taking a step forward. I knew this didn't look good, but I had no reason to feel guilty.

"We were just hanging out for the night, as friends." I stated confidently through heavy lidded eyes, my body was taking notice to the early hour with little and uncomfortable sleep. Stefan seemed to notice my lethargic body language.

"Why don't you go upstairs to bed and we can further talk about this in the morning." he said in a calming tone and stepped aside the door way so I could get past him.

"Good night." He didn't turn around to signify that he heard me, but I could tell he was pinching the bridge of his nose. I glanced at Damon, whose eyes were staring at me and his lips forming a small smile telling me it was ok and to go upstairs. I continued up the stairs and walked into Stefan's room to lie on the bed. I tried to keep my eyes open, not feeling comfortable with sleep right now but couldn't help them drifting closed.

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**i smell trouble! i hope you like chapter 3! does Elena have anything to feel guilty for? please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**thanks for all the reviews! here is chapter 4!**

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(3rd person)

As Elena was sleeping up stairs the Salvatore brothers were in the same position as when she left them. Stefan brought his hand down from pitching his nose and Damon took the opportunity to pick up his glass that he placed on the table and take a sip of his AB positive. "Happy hunting?" He broke the silence. "Catch any feisty rabbits?"

"What exactly do you think you're doing Damon?" Stefan asked a monotone voice.

"Having a drink, you want some?" Damon extended the glass to Stefan.

"I meant what are you doing with Elena?" Stefan argued, completely ignoring Damon's attempt at blood humor.

"Like she said, we were just hanging out." He verified, taking another sip of his drink. He could see Stefan's hands clench and eyes darken. To avoid making too much commotion with Elena in the house he tried to be a 'good brother' and assure Stefan that everything was dandy. "Look, I talked to Elena the other day and we decided we needed a normal night of being friends. We spent the night cooking and having fun. Nothing that you seem to think happened, happened."

Stefan didn't seem to believe him and was across the room with his hand around Damon's neck in a second. "You expect me to believe that? I go hunting and you take the liberty to steal Elena from me? With Katharine back I thought you would have jumped ship with her in an instant. But instead I come into _my_ house to see _my _girlfriend dressed in _your_ clothes, in _your_ arms." Damon didn't like to look like he was weak, especially to his brother. He took a moment to contemplate what Stefan said, and Stefan could almost see the wheels turning in Damon's head. Damon grinned and quickly and as silently as he could, grabbed the back of Stefan's throat and pinned him face first into a wall, other hand gripping his wrists.

"When will you learn that you are not stronger then me? And not between you and me, but Katharine can go and burn in hell." Stefan's fangs lengthened and growled at his brother. Damon just pushed his face further into the wall, unimpressed at Stefan's, supposed to be, threatening actions. "See this is what happens when I try to be a good brother, no one believes me anyway. Fine, it's true that she wanted a normal night, I was reluctant at first, but once she mentioned just the two of us, then said that she didn't want to mention, and I quote 'no mention of witches, vampires, Katharine, or Stefan.' I was on bored." Damon smiled at Stefan's frustration and anger, clearly from thinking that Elena wanted a night alone with Damon and not to bring up him at all, which wasn't really true, but she could have been thinking it. "You seemed to have done something for her to not be your biggest fan. But keep doing what you're doing, because the result seems to be pushing her into my open arms. And if she comes to my arms in my clothes, I won't complain, she looked damn sexy."

Damon let go of Stefan and was across the room again with his glass. "And nothing happened, we behaved" Stefan didn't say anything he just dropped himself down on the couch. Damon downed the rest of the liquid in the glass and set it down on the table. He headed over to the stairs, when he reached the bottom he stopped, looking at Stefan whose head was in his hands. With an evil smile Damon spoke one more time before ascending the stairs. "Oh and Stefan, the way Elena runs her fingers through your hair is just mesmerizing isn't it?" Stefan's head shot up to see that Damon was gone from sight and could be heard walking around his room.

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**I know it was really short and I'm sorry, this was the only place to cut it that seemed right. dont hate me. for the guilt of it being so short i'll prob post the next chapter in a few days...or tomorrow, depends on how many comments i get =] hahaha bribes are fun **


	5. Chapter 5

******thank you so much for all your reviews! i'm happy you like the story, here's ch5 **i hope you like this

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Elena woke up to see light streaming though the window of the bedroom. Through the daze of her mind she tried to remember what room she was in, it was a problem she normally had since she wasn't a morning person. She quickly remembered she was at Salvatore boarding house and that the extra weight on the bed was most likely Stefan. Also remembering the look on his face before she went to bed she didn't want to really face him at the moment. Knowing she had to though and realizing that he would wake up if she tried to leave; she reluctantly turned to face him. At the sudden movement Stefan opened his eyes, Elena smiled. "Morning."

"Morning." his voice didn't sound as light and his smile seemed a little forced which is a sign that something was bothering him. Trying to act as if nothing was wrong Elena sat up and stretched her arms above her head. She could see Stefan's eyes turn hard at the sight of her in his brother's shirt through the mirror across the room. Elena turned to face him to ask him what was wrong, when suddenly he was no longer in the bed with her, but across the room at the door with a towel. "I'm going to go take a shower; I'll see you down stairs."

EPOV

Shocked at his distant tone I just nodded my head, not knowing what to say. I sat in the bed for a few moments until I heard my stomach growl. Getting up I descended the stairs to see if there was anything to eat in the kitchen. Upon entering the room I saw Damon sitting at the counter reading the paper. "Morning." I greeted, he looked up from his paper like he didn't even hear me coming down the stairs.

"Good morning, I made you some coffee." He nodded his head over to the coffee pot sitting on the counter. I picked up a cup that was placed by the pot, filled it and took a long sip.

"Thanks."

"So how'd you sleep?" he asked turning a page of his paper.

"Ok I guess." I answered taking another sip of my coffee. We were silent for a while, me drinking my coffee and Damon reading his paper. He looked up again with a smirk on his face.

"You know what's not fair?" he asked, smirk growing at the end.

"What isn't fair?"

"That, out of the kindness of my heart I let you borrow my clothes, but didn't get the pleasure of seeing you stretch and crawl your way out of bed in them." I just let out a small laugh and shook my head.

"Is that supposed to be a comment for me not sleeping in your room last night?" I asked rising my eyebrows at him.

"Well maybe if you did you would have slept better." Damon retorted doing that thing with is eyebrows that I didn't have a word for. I decided not to say anything and looked around the kitchen.

"No breakfast?"

"I cooked for you last night; you're on your own this morning."

"But Monsieur Chef?" I said in the worst French accent ever, he just laughed at my attempt.

"Trying to speak French? You know the best way to learn the language is to experience it first hand?"

"Well than maybe you should take me sometime." I would love to go to France, but had a hunch that I wouldn't be going with Damon. It was fun to dream though .He got off the chair and was across from me, leaning against the center counter, at his fast speed.

" J'adorerais t'y amener" His voice sounded beautiful, the accent was apparent, like he lived there his whole life. And it sounded as smooth as butter, making me almost melt.

"Slow down tiger, what exactly did you say?" he laughed again, bringing his hand to my cheek and staring into my eyes.

"I said, 'I would love to take you there'" He whispered with a smile. In a flash he was back to reading his paper, where his hand no longer was felt instantly cool. "Morning Stefan." I looked at the doorway to see Stefan walking in, he just ignored his brother. I put down my coffee cup and turned to a cabinet.

"Do you have any cereal? I'm starved." I opened one cabinet to see a box of Capitan Crunch, my favorite. Reaching up to grab the box I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. I stopped reaching for the box, not really feeling comfortable with the situation. If it was Damon, then he was crossing the line, but if it was Stefan then I was waiting for an apology. I turned to either tell Damon off or listen to what Stefan was about to say, it was Stefan, but it didn't look like he was getting ready to say something. His eyes looked glossed over with some other emotion. Before I could say anything he captured my lips with his.

It wasn't the kind of kiss I normally get from him, the sweet kiss with hidden passion. I could feel the hunger; I felt my back hit the counter and his fingers traveling up the back of my shirt. This wasn't normal for him, or me. I didn't know how to handle it, I mean it's 9 in the morning, we had a fight and we're not alone. As that thought went though my own head I could tell Stefan was smiling. I broke away, not being a fan of PDA, and in a way I felt a little violated. I looked over his shoulder to see Damon gone, but could I blame him? I would have left too.

I looked up to see Stefan still smiling, but a victory smile. "What the hell Stefan?" I broke away from in between his body and the counter.

"What? I can't kiss _my_ girlfriend in my kitchen?" The way he said 'my' made me feel owned, and it made me a little peeved.

"But in front of your brother?"

"What you don't appreciate him seeing that we're together? Don't appreciate me breaking his spirits after the fun you guys had 'hanging out' last night?"

"No Stefan, what I don't _appreciate _is being portrayed as a slut." I had my hands gripping in my hair. "That wasn't a normal kiss with you; it was like you were staking a claim! Normally when you kiss me I feel loved and respected. Right there, I felt like your paid hooker." My voice was rising, I was so mad! It was like there was so much anger built up and what happened just pushed me over the edge.

"Damn it Elena!" his eyes were filling with rage and jealousy, but then sadness and concern. "I didn't mean to make you feel that way; you know I love you so much."

"I think I should go Stefan…" I was looking down, avoiding eye contact. "I promised Jenna I'd go shopping with her." I turned and walked out of the kitchen, before completely exiting I turned back to look at him, he was staring at the floor. "I love you too Stefan, I hope you don't loose sight of that." I continued walking through the living room, grabbed my sweatshirt, threw it on, and walked out of the house to get into my car and out the driveway.

On the drive home I started to feel a whole array of emotions; I felt angry, confused, annoyed, and honestly a little guilty. _Maybe I over reacted. _I thought as I pulled up to a red light, _I am Stefan's girlfriend, so I shouldn't feel so angry about getting kissed like that. _It's not like we aren't passionate with each other, we have had sex so it wasn't 'going too far'. But being that aggressive that early in the morning in front of Damon seemed more like Stefan was claiming ownership rather than showing passion. I was never a fan of PDA anyway, it always made me feel, I don't know, slutty.

I didn't even realize how short of a drive it was from the Salvatore's house to mine till I was pulling into the driveway after making the whole trip on auto pilot. Gathering my bag I realized I was still in Damon's underwear, Jenna's going to know I lied about sleeping over Bonnie's house last night. I took as long as I could to get from the car to the front door trying to figure out an excuse regarding what I'm wearing but came up with none.

"Where have you been?" Aunt Jenna rushed to me enveloping me in a big hug as I walked in the door.

"I slept over Bonnie's. I left you a message on your cell, sorry I should have called earlier but I feel asleep during a movie and woke up in the middle of the night to call you." I explained, hugging her back.

"I was so worried; John and Jeremy have gone missing! I haven't seen them since the night before last! I just called the police; they're on their way over."

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**can you just picture Damon speaking french in his husky voice? REvIEw!**


	6. Chapter 6

**thank you all so much for all the reviews! When i was writing this story i was debating on even posting it and I'm glad i did! Here's CH6 hope you like it.**

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EPOV

"Missing? Jeremy's gone?" it wasn't like Jeremy to go off anymore, he was becoming such a good kid. Jenna didn't answer me but started crying again; I silently led her to the couch, feeling myself cry as well. "Jenna I'm going to go shower and change, will you be ok here on your own for a few minutes?" I asked after about ten minutes of just holding her, I didn't want to leave her but I felt all grimy. I just felt her nod in response.

I made it to my bathroom with a change of cloths before the tears really spilled over, sinking down to the tiled grown I pulled my knees to my chest; just letting myself cry. Everything that was going on was crushing me. Katherine was back, John was dead, Stefan is becoming very territorial, and now Jer was missing. If anything happened to him I think I might go insane, all I can hope for is that he just needed some time away and he's safe. Trying to control my tears I pealed myself away from the tiled floor and into the shower, letting the warm water relax my muscles.

After my shower I got dressed and made my way down stairs to see Sheriff Forbes talking to Aunt Jenna in the living room and a couple of other officers just standing around. I stayed on the last stair listening to Jenna talk to Sheriff Forbes, "I know Jeremy had trouble in the past but he's really turned around, he's become such a good kid. This isn't like him anymore to just leave with out saying anything; John I understand, John always leaves with out letting anyone know." I could feel tears forming again when I heard a knock on the door.

Opening the door I saw Damon standing on the porch with a pile of my cloths in his hands and a concerned look on his face. "Elena what's wrong?" he reached out his empty hand and wiped my tears with his thumb. With out thinking I threw my arms around him and tried to hold back more tears. "Why is the Sheriff here?" he asked softly, looking over my head into the house.

"Jeremy's gone." I sobbed out not wanting to say it, "No one has seen him since the fair" I knew he was thinking what I didn't want to admit, that Katherine took him. His arms wrapped around me and he rubbed soothing circles on my back.

"It'll be ok sweetie, I'll find him, I promise." He held me tighter as if I would get taken away also; I was so distraught I didn't even correct him for calling me sweetie. I heard footsteps approach us from the house and someone say Damon's name. "Liz, do you have any leads as to where to find Jeremy?" he asked quietly but with authority.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been able to find anything promising. Can I ask you a few questions Elena?" I broke away from Damon to look at the Sheriff.

"Of course." She headed back into the house; I grabbed Damon's hand and lead him inside after her. Holding onto him made me feel more grounded throughout this whole situation. We sat in the love seat that was across the chair that Sheriff Forbes was sitting in. She looked at our connecting hands for a moment then began to speak.

"Have you noticed anything unusual in Jeremy's behavior in the past few days?"

"No, he was going to school, doing his work and being a good kid recently…well it was unusual for him, but he was getting better it seemed. Nothing that would make me think that he would take off." She nodded at my answer and wrote some things down in her note book.

"I understand that you found out you were adopted recently, could this have made Jeremy feel alone? Knowing that you aren't truly his sister, and he wanted to get away from such big news?"

"Of course not!" I couldn't help but be a little angry, "all because we aren't blood related doesn't mean we aren't siblings, he will always be my brother." Damon gave my hand a squeeze to reassure me that I was ok.

"There isn't any need to get angry; I'm just asking standard questions." I saw that she truly was sorry and apologized for my out burst.

"What about the news about Viki? They were always close; he had a lot of weight on him in the bad news department for a teenage boy."

"He seemed to be taking that well, as well as some one could take it. He was spending a lot of time with a few friends, to me he seemed happy." which was partly true, he did seem happy with Anna. At the thought of Anna I remembered what Damon said happened to her, I felt awful at the thought that someone else he cared about being taken away from him.

"When was the last time you saw him?" another question pulled me from my thoughts.

"During the celebration, before all the chaos happened." She asked me a few more questions, wrote some things in her notebook and stood up, I was crying again.

"I think I have everything for now. We'll find him Elena"

"Thank you Liz." Damon answered for me.

"If you have anymore information for me just let me know, both of you."

"Of course" Damon answered again. The sheriff left to go talk to Jenna one more time; before she moved I saw her eyes glance from me to Damon as if telling him something, I felt him nod in response to her look. "This has got to be over whelming for you, want me to take you upstairs?"He asked kindly, which seemed so unlike him.

"Yea I guess" I stood up, feeling a bit uneasy on my feet due to the crying and lack of breakfast, when Damon scooped me up bridle style. I felt too drained to fight for him to put me down and leaned my head in the crook of his neck instead. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jenna watching us as we made our way up the stairs. When we got to my room Damon laid me on the bed and sat himself on the edge near me knees, resting his hand on one.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly. That was a great question _how was I doing? _My whole world was falling apart, and why? Because I got involved with two vampire brothers who are being sought out by an ex vampire girlfriend who looks exactly like me and now my brother is missing! Instead of answering his question I asked my own.

"Do you think she has him?" I knew he knew who I was referring to; I just needed to hear him say if my fears are most likely a reality.

"Elena I don't think this…" I sat up quickly putting my hands on top of his.

"Please Damon; I need to know if you think that is the case." I pleaded with him to tell me. I needed to know, the idea of not knowing seemed worse than having it be the case. My logic didn't make sense to me right now but I didn't care, nothing made sense anymore so why should I?

"Yes, I believe there is a good chance Katherine has your brother." His voice was low like he didn't want me to hear it. I just nodded silently and looked onto the floor. I felt his hand loosely grab my chin to have me look at him.

"I'll bring him back Elena, I promise."

"I don't want you to put yourself in danger. I know how you felt when you found out she was back. I don't want you to have to see her again when you seemed to be letting her go." I was speaking quietly, not wanting to offend him. He smirked and let out a short laugh; I could practically feel the switch turn off, something I never liked him doing.

"I'm fine with her being back, it hasn't fazed me. I can turn it off remember?" he shifted, hand dropping from my face and back straightening. "I should probably call Stefan, tell him to come over; he's better at this comforting stuff." He took out his phone but I placed my hand over it to prevent him from opening it.

"I'd rather not see him right now." Damon gave me a confused look. "We got into a fight this morning."

"Trouble in paradise?" his tone was teasing with fake surprise." You seemed completely fine with each other when I saw you this morning." his eyes became a little dark when he recalled what he had to witness this morning. I looked down again and fiddled with the end of the shirt I was wearing, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Yea, it was kind of one sided this morning. I kind of yelled at him because of it." Damon lend in eyes still dark.

"Because of what?" I knew what he was doing; he wanted me to say I was uncomfortable kissing his brother. His assumption made me angry, even if he didn't completely voice it.

"Just for get it Damon." I went to get up and walk to my bathroom, stopping with my hand on the knob; I could feel his chest against my back. In the back of my mind I thought of how intoxicating his presence was to me.

"Why did you yell at Stefan, Elena?" his voice was alluring, pulling me into to telling him what I didn't want him to know.

"Because he kissed me like that, it made me feel dirty." I still couldn't make the move to turn the knob and put space between us.

"Only because he kissed you hard?" I could literally feel his eyes on the back of my head.

"No." I replied hesitantly, trying to stall myself to making a big confession, that maybe I had feelings for Damon. Of course I cared about him, he has saved my life more times than I could count, but it seemed to be something more and it scared me.

"Then why did you yell at him?"

"Because he kissed me like that in front of you." I dropped my hand from the door and slumped my shoulders "I didn't want you to see me with him like that and it made me feel dirty, feeling your eyes on me." he put his hands on my shoulders brushing his thumbs on the base of my neck, feeling his breath by my ear.

"Elena…" he was so close I could feel his lips moving against my ear.

"Damon, please don't do this…"

"Do what?" his voice was all husky, making my knees weak.

"What ever it is you're doing. Acting all irresistible, I really don't need this right now." I could feel his lips turn into a frown for a split second.

"Just remember that I'm here whenever you realize how wrong Stefan is for you." He stepped away from me and I felt instantly cooler. "Speaking of the saint, I'm going to go and tell him the situation so we can figure out how to find Katherine." His wall that I have been trying so hard to slowly breakdown just shot right back up. I turned to see him making his way to my bedroom door.

"Damon, please don't shut me out." He turned his head to look at me.

"I couldn't shut you out even if I tried" with one last smirk he left.

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**like it? hate it? How will Elena think about Damon's little offer? please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**thanks again for all the reviews! here's ch7 hope you like it! and finally what i've been waiting for happened on the show last night!**

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3rd Person

Damon made his way back to the boarding house that he shared with his brother, hands grasping the steering wheel with unneeded force. He needed to go ask his brother for help, which was something he didn't like to do, to find Jeremy. Of course since he is Elena's brother it shouldn't be too hard to convince Saint Stefan to help. They had to find a way to locate Jeremy and get him back with out anyone getting too hurt. If Katharine does have him then that is going to be a huge problem and be very difficult to get in and out in one piece. Damon picked up his phone and called someone else he knew he would need help from, "Damon, What's the matter?"

"Ric, we have a slight problem, you need to get over the boarding house now."

"What sort of problem?" His voice was hushed, sounding stressed.

"I'll fill you in when you get there." With out saying good bye Damon hung up the phone.

Pulling into the drive way he quickly went into the house to get it all over with. He was defiantly feeling the stress of everything; he needed a good fresh feed. The package blood just wasn't the same. But that witch told him that if he wanted to stay in Mystic Falls he couldn't spill one drop of innocent blood. And finding non- innocent blood in Mystic Falls was proving to be quite difficult. He needed to stay for a little while, at lest until Elena was his, then he could indulge in what his kind was supposed to.

Inside the house he found Stefan sitting in a leather chair reading a book and drinking a glass of whisky in front of a fire. "How morbid," Damon commented upon entering the room, Stefan didn't even look up. "We have another problem."

"Did you kill someone again? And now you're worried about what Bonnie's going to do to you when she finds out?" Stefan said in a monotone voice.

"Why no _brother, _I've been a good little boy lately. And if you're done mopping for a few moments maybe you can make yourself useful. Jeremy's missing" this got Stefan's attention real quick.

"Elena's brother?"

"No the other Jeremy we both know" The lack of fresh blood was making Damon a little testy. "Yes Elena's brother. We both believe that Katharine got a hold of him."

"How do you know he's missing?"

"I was dropping off her cloths and Liz was there, Jenna called her. Apparently no one's seen him since the fair."

"How's Elena? Is she ok?" Stefan's eyes held concern.

"How do you think she's doing? Her brother was kidnapped by a psycho." Damon answered his brother's stupid question. "I called the teacher on the way over telling him the basics and to get over here to fill him in on the rest." He looked at his watch briefly, "He should be here in about a half hour."

Stefan stood up, "I should pick Elena up, if Katharine is this far involved then she isn't safe there." Damon put out his hand to stop Stefan.

"I'll go get her." Stefan's eyes darkened, clearly not liking the idea. Not wanting to get into a fight with his brother right now Damon tried to reason with him. "I'm faster; I'll get there and back with her before Sultzman gets here. I'm also stronger, just incase we run into anything." Eyes still dark Stefan slowly nodded, knowing that Damon was faster then him due to his choice in diet. Without saying anything else Damon went out the door and started running though the wood's toward Elena's house, cursing at himself for being so stupid to leave her there unprotected.

The sun was going down by the time he reached her window, the day flew by without him really realizing. He must have been with Elena talking to the sheriff longer then he thought. Looking around to make sure he was completely alone he scaled up the tree and looked though the window; all he saw was Elena in her PJ's sitting cross legged on her bed looking straight ahead nervously playing with her hair. Tapping on the glass lightly he saw her jump and frantic eyes flicked toward the window, slight panic on her face. When he saw that she didn't move, concluding that she couldn't see him trough the cover of the tree and his black cloths against the darkening sky, he whipped out his phone to send her a brief message. _It's me, open up._

He saw her read the message, look back toward the blackness of her window and slowly made her way off her bed. Opening the latch that locked the window and swinging the doors open she jumped slightly when Damon's head peered inside. Her expression softened a little and a small smile appeared on her lips "You just can't get enough of me can you?" she asked lightly, taking a step back so he could step in from outside, stepping a little too close to her where his cologne filled her nose.

"What can I say; I have a weak spot for beautiful women who have a knack for getting into trouble."

"Did you just insult me and compliment me in the same sentence?" Elena asked, not knowing if to be offended or flattered.

"More of a compliment." He answered in a low voice causing Elena to drift closer to hear exactly what he said. He reached up to brush a piece of hair off her face and behind her ear, swiftly glancing at her right hand to make sure she was wearing the ring he gave her. When he saw that it was indeed his mother's ring he spoke again. "You need to pack your bags. At lest for a few nights."

"Excuse me? Where am I going?"

"To the boarding house." he answered swiftly walking away from her to grab the suit case from under her bed. "It isn't safe here, now that Katharine has been invited in. It's too risky for you to be here by yourself. At the boarding house Stefan and I can keep an eye on you. At lest until we rid of the Katharine problem." As he was talking he was going through her dresser pulling out shirts and placing them into the case.

"Damon…" he didn't look up at her, just kept on packing her cloths.

"Ric will be there soon so we need to hurry."

"Damon stop." This time she moved in front of the dresser as he turned to grab some pants, bumping into her. It took a moment to realize that she was stuck between Damon's body and her dresser. Seeing his eyebrows do that thing and gave her an intense look with those ice blue eyes.

"Elena, instead of throwing yourself at me like that all you had to do was ask nicely." He looked at his watch "We have time for a real quickie, but I for one would want our first time together not be rushed." Elena smiled and let out a small laugh causing him to smile as the worry left her eyes a little.

"You're right Damon, I would hate for us to rush, and not take it slow so I can enjoy the whole experience." She said voice thick with sarcasm. Damon made no effort to move.

"Why are you telling me to stop? We're wasting precious time." Worry was brought back to Elena's face.

"I can't just leave Jenna, if it's not safe for me to be here then it's not safe for her either."

"I can take care of that, I can compel her to stay at a friend's for a few days." Elena frowned, looking to the side, any where away from his piercing eyes.

"You know how I feel about compulsion. I don't want her to do anything against her free will." He tilted her chin to look at him.

"Do you trust me? Trust that I won't do anything to hurt you or your family on intention?" his face was completely serious, all tracing of joking from earlier completely gone.

"Yes, I trust you." Those words were so foreign to Damon that even though he asked it took him a little off guard.

"Good, now help me finish packing." Elena stepped aside to open the drawer to get a few pairs of pants, then her underwear, bra, and socks. Trying to stealthily hide her underwear under her pants and away from Damon's gaze. When she got all her toiletries from the bathroom Damon zipped up her bag and carried it out hall. "Is she in her room?"

"Last time I checked." They made it to the end of the hall where Jenna's room was and Elena knocked on the door. "Aunt Jenna? Are you awake?" you could hear a muffled 'come in' from behind the door. Elena walked into the room with Damon right behind her. Jenna immediately sat up upon seeing Damon and looked at the clock; it was only 8pm so saying it was too late wasn't really true. After all the stress of the day she felt completely worn out and went to bed early but had a hard time finding sleep.

"What is Damon doing here?"

"Um…he wanted to talk to you for a second" Elena said a little uncomfortable and Damon stepped around her.

"It couldn't wait till the morning Damon?" her brows frowned together.

"No it couldn't actually."

"Is it about what I saw on the porch the other night?" Jenna asked sternly, going all parental on them, Elena shifted uncomfortably on her other foot, even though it wasn't her on the porch the reaction from Jenna and knowing what did happen made her slightly embarrassed. Damon took another step toward the bed, crouched down and starred into her eyes, after swiftly removing the bracelet that was lose on her wrist.

"You've had a rough day and can't stand to be in this house any longer." Damon's pupils dilated.

"Cant stand this house." Jenna repeated.

"Even though it's getting late you are going to call and spend a few day's over at a friend's house."

"Friend's house."

"You don't want to leave Elena home alone so you agreed that she stay with me and Stefan."

"You and Stefan"

"And don't verbally invite anyone who looks like Elena into your friend's house." His pupils returned to their normal size, put Jenna's bracelet back on and he returned to Elena's side. Jenna looked dazed for only a moment before she looked back at Elena and spoke.

"Elena, would you mind if I spent a few nights at a friend's house? I don't think I could get to sleep here after everything that has happened."

"I don't mind, you need to get away a little, you need one of your good friends." Elena said hesitantly.

"But I would hate to leave you here all by your self." She paused for a moment then looked at Damon. "Damon, would you or Stefan mind if she stayed with you for a few days?"

"Not at all Jenna, Stefan and I would be delighted to have her stay with us. Lord knows we have enough room."

"Great, I'm going to call Jill before it gets too late." She picked up the phone and dialed a number. Her friend Jill agreed that she could stay as long as she wanted and would come and pick her up. With help from Elena, Jenna packed her bag in time to hear a car horn beep out side. Jenna lifted her suitcase, gave Elena a hug, opened the front door and was about to walk off the porch when she turned to Damon, "We'll have that talk later Damon. You can count on that."

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**Hope you liked it! please review**


	8. Chapter 8

**thanks again for the reviews! I hope you like ch 8. last weeks episode was crazy! **

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3rd Person

Elena waved good bye when Jenna didn't give Damon a chance to respond. She looked around the street for his car shortly before she noticed it was no where in sight. "Where's your car?" her brows frowned together in confusion.

"I didn't take it, I thought running would be easier and I didn't want anyone asking questions on why my car was here again today and not Stefan's, you know in a small town roomers travel fast."

"So we're running?"She said kind of slowly to grasp it herself.

"We'll technically I'm running, and you're ridding. I could a. carry you on my back and hold your suitcase, b. carry you bridle style and you can hold your suitcase, or c. I could through you over my shoulder and carry your bag." He finished with a smile seeming to like the third choice, Elena rolled her eyes as she locked the front door and thinking about what choice she wanted.

"Which one's the safest?"

"That would depend what you mean by safe; Safest traveling wise or the safest reaction from your boyfriend when we show up at my house?" Elena's brows frowned again.

"Uh, I guess traveling wise." She shouldn't have to be worried about Stefan's reaction, she would have nothing to be guilty for and he was never the jealous type, right?

"Okie dokie." He said with excitement that was probably fake and rubbed his hands together. "Hold your bag to your chest, at lest one hand on the handle." She did so and he crouched down a little, put one arm around her lower back and the other under her knees. The closeness sent her heart racing a little as his hand skimmed the tiny sliver of exposed skin on her back; she could just picture his smile at her reaction, but tried to play it off with chill and slight teeth chatter. Lastly he hosted her up, adjusting slightly, and walked off the porch. "Ready?"

"Yea." She was a little nervous, never doing this before and worried about her body's reaction to going such fast speeds.

"You might want to close your eyes so you don't get sick."

"I'm not going to get sick." She protested, being the stubborn person that she is. With a short laugh from Damon he took off into the woods, the sudden burst of air on her face and in her eyes cause her to close them and turn her head into his neck, willing herself not to get sick.

What had to be no more then five, seven, minutes she felt Damon's breath on her ear. "You can open your eyes now, we're here." She moved her head from Damon's neck, which was exposed skin and felt soft against her cheek, and saw that they were at the front door to his home. She also saw an extra car in the drive way, "the teacher is here."

Damon looked to see that her face was kind of pale; placing his hand on her cheek he noticed it was a bit cool too. "You don't look so good? How do you feel?" his voice was soft and gentle, one of those rear voices that she was been hearing more of lately.

"Not so hot." And she didn't, her head was dizzy and her stomach felt quezzy, like she just rode a really fast rollercoaster.

"I told you to close your eyes, but you had to be stubborn." His voice was back to teasing her.

"That's me for you." She rested her head back on his shoulder, feeling like she couldn't keep it up without it feeling like it the world was moving. She had to tell her self that Damon was standing still to stop the world from moving so much.

"Can I move again now?" he asked, knowing what was going through her head. She just nodded. He shifted so he could open the door with out moving her too much and went into the house. "I'll lay you on the couch and get you some ginger ale to help the stomach." Walking into the living room he saw Stefan and Ric sitting on two chairs, Stefan abruptly standing when he saw them when they came in.

"What took so long?" he asked till he saw that Elena looked a little pale and rushed over to her, trying to take her from Damon. When Stefan tried to move her she instantly clung to Damon's shirt to try to keep her head from spinning and from throwing up form being jostled too much.

"Please don't move me." Stefan dropped his hands and looked warningly at Stefan.

"What did you do to her?" he asked, voice tinted with anger.

"I didn't do anything to her." Damon answered as icy but less loud, knowing the noise would make Elena's head worst.

"Nothing? Really, is that why she's all pale?"

"I'm fine Stefan, really. I just don't feel too good that's all. When Damon ran me here he told me to keep my eyes closed. But being the stubborn person I am I didn't listen. So it's really my fault." She reasoned, not wanting the two brothers to fight. When Damon saw that Stefan wasn't going to say anything else he gently deposited Elena on the couch, taking the suitcase from her. He disappeared for a second and came back with a can of soda.

"This should make your stomach settle a little, as for the head just keep it back and this time, keep your eyes closed." She laughed slightly, sticking her tongue out and did what she was told this time. With out opening her eyes she took a sip on the bubbly soda and thanked him. "Welcome." A few seconds later she felt someone lift up her feet and place them on their lap, assuming it was Stefan she snuggled down a bit so her calves were resting on his lap instead of her heals. She did peek to see Damon sitting in the chair that Stefan was in before they arrived.

"So, what's this big problem? Stefan wouldn't tell me, saying he wanted you to explain." It was Mr. Sultzerman's voice talking to Damon. She could see Damon's eyes flick towards her while she was sill peeking. When his eyes turned away from her she closed hers again.

"You know that Jeremy's gone missing, Elena and I believe that Katharine may have taken him. He was in the house the night Katharine impersonated Elena to get invited it. I'm not sure why she would leave Jenna alone, kill John, and take Jeremy; but it doesn't sound to much not like her. Since Katharine is older then I and Stefan we need all the help we can get. There is a possibility that the two of us could take her if needed, but it wouldn't hurt to have the vampire slyer on bored to help. "

"Of course, if she's a threat to Jenna, Elena and the town I'm in. Jeremy's one of my favorite students and a great kid, of course I'll help." Mr. Sultzman agreed. During the conversation Stefan was squeezing her foot reassuringly, telling her he was there. She really appreciated it and felt a little better knowing that they were going to do everything in their power to help save Jeremy.

"Elena, "Her name caused her to open her eyes and see Damon turned toward her in the chair, his face a mask for business. "I was also hopping that you could call and ask Bonnie for a few favors: one to un-invite Katharine into your house, and the other to locate Jeremy. I figure she'll help you find your human brother, and it'll give her a chance to get a vampire that isn't me."

"Yea I'll call, should I do it tomorrow morning? It's kind of late." Everyone turned to the mantel to see the clock read almost midnight, the night was really flying by.

"First thing in the morning is fine, we want to make sure we find him as fast as we can." Everyone nodded Damon noticed how exhausted she looked "In the mean time why don't we all get some sleep, Ric do you mind the couch? I'd offer a guest bedroom but they're kind of dusty. No one's had to use them in years."

"The couch sounds fine." Ric agreed standing form the chair to grab a blanket that was folded on top of the speaker. Damon downed the rest of the red liquid in his glass that Elena didn't even notice him having and stood up as well.

"Do you want me to carry you upstairs?" Stefan asked with concern, rubbing her foot lightly. She smiled lazily.

"No I feel better now, I can walk." She finished her soda and got up, going to go into the kitchen when the can was snatched form her hands.

"I can take care of that. You go up and go to bed." Damon smiled sweetly, Elena liked the nice Damon, but at the same time it was a little weird. She was so used to how he was when he got here, self reserved, narcissistic, and you couldn't trust him as far as you could throw him. But now he was kind and just fun to be around. The only thing that worried her is the short times she saw it was so easy for him the switch back and forth, and fearing when he'll get stuck on the narcissistic side again.

Elena smiled a thank you and walked up the stairs behind Stefan who was carrying her bag up to his room. When Elena stopped in the door way, "Do you mind if I have a guest room? I don't feel too comfortable right now sleeping with you." Stefan looked a little hurt but nodded and carried her bag into the guestroom next to his. "Thank you." she gave him a kiss on the cheek and he left the room silently making Elena feel guilty.

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**please review! show the love! **


	9. Chapter 9

**i want to thank all my readers for their comments i love reading them. I hope you enjoy the next chapter =] the Delena will happen **

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3rd Person

Stefan closed his bedroom door with a stressed sigh. He could feel the tension building between himself and Elena. He tried to figure out when it all started; sadly from what he could think of his relationship with her hasn't quite been the same since the Mystic Falls pageant. Sure they've been easy with each other since then but he knew that that fear was still in the back of her mind, in his mind. That was the only thing Stefan truly envied his brother for, his ability to remain in control. _His brother…_

Stefan couldn't help the little sneer form over his lips as he envisioned Damon holding Elena in a very caring way the other night. He was uncomfortable with the growing relationship between the two and knew that the closer Elena got to Damon the further Stefan got to Elena. He tried to ignore it, to look the other way and just hope that nothing would happen, but it was getting harder.

The more he thought about the situation the more selfish he thought of himself. He knew that Elena wouldn't betray him; she was too good of a person for that. Elena loved him and he had to trust that and trust her. On the other part he knew that the friendship between Elena and Damon was good for his brother. Elena brought out the humanity in Damon and without that, there would be a lot more unfortunate occurrences going on in Mystic Falls.

Stefan laid down trying to relax and earn some much need sleep but his mind was racing a million miles a minute. He couldn't keep it still with everything that was changing, and the question of why Katharine was back was driving him up a wall. He didn't want Elena to get hurt. And Katharine having Jeremy was hurting Elena, Stefan felt it was his duty to get him back. Stefan felt his eyes drift close and fall into a nice sleep.

Stefan opened his eyes to see a picnic set up in front of him on a familiar old lawn. Looking across the green grass he saw the Salvatore manor completely intact in its southern white glory. "Stefan, what could possibly be enchanting you so?" a sweet voice brought his attention to a woman in a spring green midday gown and a matching sun hat, Katharine. Stefan wanted to attack her but he felt himself smile.

"Just admiring the beauty of the day." He answered taking Katharine's hand and helping her sit onto the blanket. "Excuse me if I become enchanted again." Stefan said softly looking at her.

"You would have to look back at the manor for that."

"There are many different kinds of beauties to be entranced in, whether it is a place or a person." He kissed the top of her hand.

"Oh Stefan you're going to make me blush." Katharine smiled sweetly. There was a horse winnie in the distance and the sound of two sets of galloping hoofs. Stefan looked up to see a girl in jeans riding a white horse and his mind clicked.

"Elena?" he stood up to see what she was running from when a jet black horse came into view chasing her. "Damon!" Stefan started running toward the horses to catch his brother and to save Elena.

"You'll never catch me Damon, you'll have to ride faster than that!" Elena called over her shoulder, Stefan could see a large smile over her face, and he stopped trying to catch her.

"You have no idea how fast I can go, and when I catch you you'll regret pushing me in that lake." Damon's horse got right up the side of Elena's and he grabbed onto her reins, successfully slowing down the white horse. He then launched himself at her, taking her off her horse, turning them in the air so his back hit the ground and she landed on top of him. Stefan could see them laughing.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder to see Katharine "Just let them be, and come enjoy the picnic." She tugged on him to get him to move.

"But, Elena?" he looked back at the laughing couple. He was given another tug when he woke up. He felt a body stir next to him, seeing the brown head of hair he smiled to himself, happy Elena came in after all. "Go back to sleep sweet heart." He kissed the top of her head, she let out a sweet sigh.

"Did you have a good dream?" the voice seemed off and he pick up a heart beat in the other room. His eyes shot open again and he tensed, moving as fast as possible to the other side of the room. "Come on Stefan, way to ruin the mood." Katharine smirked, turning over on the back to look at him, holding her finger to her lips. "We don't want to wake anyone."

"What are you doing here" Stefan's voice was hard not taking his eyes off of her.

"Oh relax, you could at lest give me a kinder greeting." Stefan continued to glare at her. "I'm not here to hurt your precious human; I just wanted to see you. I miss you Stefan." He let out a short laugh.

"Really? Why do I find that so hard to believe? Oh right, because you've decided not to see me in the past hundred or so years." His voice was bitter.

"I'm sorry I left you Stefan, I had to lay low for a while. But I found you know, doesn't that count for something?"

"No it doesn't, because I don't want you here." Katharine got up form the bed and took a step toward him.

"You don't love me anymore?" her voice was hurt.

"I never loved you; remember you compelled me to love you."

"I never did such a thing. You loved me on your own; I compelled you so you wouldn't be afraid of me after I told you what I was." Stefan looked hurt for a moment then angry again.

"Get out!" he said as loudly and as quietly as possible.

"You know it was extremely easy to get into your head, and you know that thing with Damon and Elena is bound to happen. They do spend so much time together." she sped over to him kissed his cheek "Have a good night love, I'll be seeing you around." Then she was gone

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**please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's Chapter ten! i hope you like it and please review!**

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**Ch10**

EPOV

I could see the strip of light seeping through the dark curtains in the guest room. I stretched in the big bed trying to get my limbs to wake up. The clock read 8:30AM, I stretched my arms over my head with a large yawn. Crawling out, I grabbed some clean cloths out of the suite case that Stefan placed at the foot of the bed and made my way to the bathroom. After my shower and I was all dressed, teeth brushed, hair dried and makeup on I made my way down stairs to find something to eat. Entering the kitchen I saw the three guys leaning against the counters drinking from mugs. They looked up from their conversation when I came in and greeted me.

"Morning." I greeted back, grabbing my own mug and filling it with coffee, taking a huge gulp.

"You're up kind of early." Stefan stated with concern.

"You know I rarely sleep in." I reminded him, taking another sip of my coffee to put it down and get a bowl out of the other cabinet.

"Yea, I guess I just thought you looked so exhausted last night that you would sleep a little longer. Do you want me to make you anything?"

"No, cereal is fine." I didn't give him time to insist he make me pancakes or anything by filling my bowl with captain crunch and milk that Ric got out for me. "What time did you all get up?"

"About 7:30, I woke up Ric a few minutes later and found Stefan reading in the study with a few cups of coffee." Damon answered taking a sip out of his own mug that I could see was actually coffee.

"You were up before 7:30?" I was getting a little worried, he didn't seem to get that much sleep last night and he already poured himself another cup since I've been down here.

"Yea, I was kind of restless last night so I got up. I didn't want to disturb you at all, you needed your sleep. The coffee was to warm me up a little."

"That's what happened when you don't feed often enough. When was the last time you fed?" Damon was actually showing some concern in his brother's well being.

"Yesterday, early afternoon I think it was ." Stefan said a little edgy.

"You know you have to feed more then that if you're going to live on animals. No wonder you were restless, not having enough of that crap in your system you probably couldn't keep your eyes off Elena's jugular." Damon took another sip of his coffee acting completely calm about the whole thing when you could see the annoyance on Stefan's face.

"I would never hurt her that way. I've just had a lot on my mind and haven't gone out since yesterday." I put my hand on his chest to calm him down a little.

"Why don't you go out now? I'll call Bonnie and tell her what's going on and you can go hunting." He looked down at me.

"And leave you alone with him?" His annoyance toward his brother was starting to annoy me.

"I know you're worried about me, but right now I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself lately, you've been very edgy. Just go hunting for a little, Ric can protect me form Damon" at that I heard Damon scuff. "Please."

"Ok, you're right," He placed his cup on the counter and kissed me lightly on the lips, making me smile. "I'll be back soon." He walked out the back door and off toward the woods.

"Did you have to say that to him?" I turned toward Damon with slight anger on my face.

"Say what?"

"'You probably couldn't keep your eyes on her jugular.' Really Damon?" I flicked the side of his neck to emphasize my point. "You know how careful he has been with me ever since his recovery."

"Oh stop being a baby Elena; he's a grown man he can take it. And he hasn't been feeding enough, when he's on that shit he needs to feed more often and has to at lest get a good amount twice a day. For him to not have feed since early yesterday is dangerous, and he needed to be told that. Sorry if I'm not one to beat around the bush. And recovery Elena? Sorry to burst your bubble but the way Stefan is on human blood is who he is, and he's always there fighting to break though. The sweet saint Stefan you know is a mask that people hope he doesn't take off. How can there be a recovery from locking your true self away, waiting to break through." Both Elena and Ric were speechless as Damon left the kitchen.

"Uh, I'm going to make sure he doesn't kill anyone." Ric said as he went out behind Damon. "Call Bonnie." He called to me after he left the kitchen. Still a little stunned by what Damon said I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Bonnie's number.

"Hello?" Bonnie answered on the fourth ring.

""Hey Bonnie, it's Elena."

"Hey, everything ok?" she asked after a long pause, probably debating on talking to me or not.

"Not really." I paused too, my relationship with Bonnie has been rocky to say the least lately and I don't want to completely lose her. "You think you could come over to the Salvatore's today? It's important."

"Why do I need to go there?"

"Because my house isn't safe, please Bonnie. Jeremy's missing and I need your help." My voice broke trying to stop myself from crying, I needed to find him and make sure he was safe.

"Oh Elena, yea of course I'll see what I can do." Her voice was soft, going from witch to best friend.

"Thanks Bon."

"I'll head over soon, how's noon? Are you already there?"

"Noon's good, yea I'm here and so is Mr. Sultzman."

"Ok, I'll see you then. I'm guessing you want me to bring my Grandmother's book?"

"That would be great if you could. See you soon." We both said good bye and hung up. Putting my phone back in my pocket I finished my breakfast in silence.


	11. Chapter 11

**here's chapter 11! sorry for putting it as Katharine not Katherine the first one is how i spell my name and it comes naturally so stick with it for me**

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EPOV

After putting my bowl in the sink I went into the living room where Damon and Mr. Sultzman were both reading. I stood in the doorway awkwardly for a moment, debating if I was just going to sit and do nothing till Bonnie got there. Concluding that there was nothing else I could really do I sat down in the leather chair across from Mr. Sultzman. I sat at an angle with my feet tucked under me as I watched the fire flicker in its little prison. I sat there in complete silence for about a half an hour just watching the flames dance, like I was expecting them to turn into animals like in the Narnia movie. Within that time I felt my body relax into the chair and a smile form on my face. I've always thought that fire was beautiful, the way it moved freely and could offer you comfort and warmth, but at the same time be so dangerous and could completely engulf you in a moment. As this description went through my head I found myself glancing at Damon, who was still reading on the couch. I guess you could say that Damon was like fire with his coming and going freely and how you could feel so warm and safe in his embrace. But there was always this fear that at any moment his being would consume me just like the dancing flame. I just wasn't sure what type of flame it would be, or if I would let it.

I was drawn out of my own thoughts by the doorbell ringing from the front door. Damon looked up from his book, snapping it shut "That must be Sabrina the teenage witch." He said with a little smile at his own joke. Getting up he walked leisurely to the door not caring how long he kept her waiting. I could no longer see him as he made his way though the foyer but heard the door open, some voices, the door closing and then finally some footsteps. Hearing them approach Mr. Sultzman and I stood up and Bonnie appeared in the doorway with Damon behind her looking at her skeptically.

"Hey Bonnie." I greeted with a smile and made my way over to hug her.

"Hey," she accepted the hug lightly, seeming slightly uncomfortable in a vampire's house. "Where's Stefan?" I was about to tell her that he went hunting and would be back any minute when his voice interrupted me.

"Right here," he announced himself as he slid his arm around my waist, I instinctively leaned into his body. "Thank you for coming Bonnie."

"Elena sounded very urgent on the phone. I'm still your friend Elena, even if I don't exactly approve of who you spend your time with." I gave her a very thankful smile and we walked further into the living room everybody sitting down. Ric and Damon sat in the leather chairs and I sat in between Stefan and Bonnie on the couch. "So what's going on?" she looked to me to explain.

"Remember what I told you about Katharine?" I asked, both Stefan and Damon looking to me with surprise that I told her.

"Yea, the crazy vampire that for some reason looks exactly like you?"

"That's the one, well she's back, and we think she has Jeremy." Bonnie's face showed shock and sympathy. "She posed as me to get invited into my house, she killed John and no one's seen Jeremy since the whole chaos thing…except Damon, who said he was in the house that night."

"Elena, I'm so sorry. What do you want me to do?" she pulled me into a friendlier hug, like the kinds I used to get from her.

"I was hopping that you could somehow track down Jeremy." I asked through small tears.

"Of course, is there anything else?"

"Well, we were also hopping that you would somehow be able to un-invite Katharine into Elena's house." Stefan spoke up on the other side of me.

"I'm not sure if there is a spell for that, but I'll look." She answered pulling away and opening up her grandmother's spell book to look for a way to fulfill our requests. We all sat in silence of a moment just watching her look.

"Do you want me to make you some tea Bonnie?" she looked a little stressed, looking up she smiled at me.

"That sounds great, thanks." She answered as she looked back down turning the pages. I got up and started walking toward the kitchen.

"Would you like some Mr. Sultzman?" he nodded. Damon stood up, picking his glass up as he did.

"I'll show you where to kettle and the tea is." Stefan's gaze followed his brother as he walked into the other room through the door towards the kitchen until he disappeared from view. I gave Stefan a shrug and left the room also. The kitchen is a few rooms away from the living room so by the time I got there Damon was already leaning over getting the tea pot from a bottom cabinet, I couldn't help but notice how nice his ass looked in his dark wash jeans. "Having fun checking me out?" his voice brought me back to earth with out looking back at me as he stood up straight. Can he read my mind, or is he just that full of himself?

"Yea, in your dreams Damon." I replied with a short laugh as I leaned against the counter next to the stove. He filled up the tea pot and set it on one of the burners turning it on. I watched as the flame burst from the little holes in the burner as Damon stood in front of me with one hand resting on the counter top on each side of me. I couldn't help but think about the relation between Doman and fire again. Right now I was mimicking the kettle, both being engulfed in flame.

"Tous les soirs." I looked back to him after he spoke, that beautiful French accent drawing me in, it was a mistake. I was completely captivated by his icy blue eyes, making me forget that I didn't know what he was saying only that soirs meant night. I placed my hands on the counter, arms stretched out thinking that if I got close enough the cabinet would sallow me. He placed his hands on top of mine; completely covering them, all I could think of was how the engulfment was starting. With him this close and his short sleeve shirt I noticed the muscles of his arms move and slightly tense. "Every night I dream that you would come to me, asking to crawl into my arms." His voice was low and slightly husky.

"Damon…Stefan is in the other room." my own voice barely making a whisper, sill not moving my eyes from his own.

"He's almost halfway across the house, and with his choice of diet and the thick wooden walls of the house he can't hear this far." He leaned in closer, his lips close to my ear so I could feel his breath on my neck and his lips graze my ear when he spoke again. "I on the other hand can hear your heart ramming against your chest. And can feel how your body's warming against my touch ou lorsque je vous parle en français." At the last comment he curled his fingers in on one for his hands, brushing the rough pads of his finger tips angst the top of my hand. He only talked to me in that language one other time, how does he know that it has an affect on me?

"Like a flame" I said in a breathless voice not being able to find my mind through his cologne and closeness filling my brain. He moved his head way from my ear causing me to open my eyes, which I didn't completely notice close, looking into my eyes again.

"Comme une flamme?" voice still husky and fingers moving against mine again, making my body warmer. All I did was nod knowing that he just repeated what I said. Somehow it sounded much sexier the way he said it. "Care to explain?"

Finding my voice "You're like a flame and I'm like the kettle, beautiful to look at but hot to touch and dangerous when out of control and not contained."

"Do you want to contain me Elena? Do you not want me to fill your body with heat?"

"No" I answered without thinking, I thought that he would crack a smirk and a joke but his face remained serious. His hands ran all the way up my arms and back down resting again on my hands.

"Are you afraid I'm going to consume you?"

"Yes." I breathed out again. He leaned forward to kiss my check and my eyes flicked to follow him. He didn't move back from my cheek but spoke instead when I didn't move to push him away.

"When a fire isn't contained then it's bound to happen isn't it?" I whimpered a yes, completely losing my voice as his lips ran across my check stopping at the corner of my lips. He pulled back only slightly so he could meet my eyes again. Maybe he saw conformation that I didn't know was there or he didn't give a damn, but the next second his lips met mine lightly in a hesitant kiss. The gentleness of the kiss and a small spark shocked me and I didn't pull away. Warmth shot though my body that I couldn't help but begin to kiss him back, causing him to kiss me more hungrily. His hands moved to one resting on my cheek and the other on my neck, holding me there with some force but also being very gentle. Mine snaked to the back of his neck lacing my fingers in his ink black hair. When his tongue ran along my bottom lip I eagerly let him in to dance with mine as his fought for dominance. Kissing Damon was like nothing I ever experienced; my body was on fire as he completely consumed me. He lightly bit my bottom lip and I couldn't hold back small moan.

I was completely lost in him, how he tasted, smelled, and felt, when the whistle of the kettle let out its loud shriek letting us know that the water was boiled. Both the kettle and I let the fire consume us, without putting up any fight. At the sound I was brought back to reality and broke away from Damon, realizing what just happened. I felt my eyes grow wide and my hands slowly fell from his shoulders to touch my lips, slightly moist. Without saying anything Damon pulled away and poured three cups of tea, setting out the cream and sugar. As he got the tea ready I felt my body temperature return to normal as I stood motionless where he left me. He picked up two mugs and the sugar under his armpit walking towards the door when he finally spoke before leaving the room.

"I'm not sorry. And by the way Elena, you're like fire too, so warm and inviting…and dangerous in your own way."

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**I hope you liked it! i had fun with this one :) please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you all so much for the reviews and I'm glad you liked the last chapter and my story as a whole. Sorry it's been so long, School has been sucking me dry. but here's the long awaited ch12!

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EPOV

After I watched him leave I poured some cream into my tea and brought them both into the living room sitting back down next to Stefan in a guilty silence. I sat facing Bonnie not being able to look at either Damon or Stefan. "Have you found anything?" I asked after taking a sip of my tea calming myself down.

"I think so, well I know how to track Jeremy and I think I found away to remove the invitation. Thanks for the tea by the way, it was just what I needed." She looked up and smiled at me, taking a sip from her mug.

"No problem."

"To remove the invitation we're going to have to go to your house, and we need to get something of Jeremy's that has his DNA: hairbrush, toothbrush, or razor." We all nodded, she set down her cup, closed her book and stood up, all of us following her to the door.

"We can take two cars, mine and someone else's so I can go home from there."

"Ok, we'll take mine." Stefan decided, picking up his keys from the table by the door. I followed Stefan to his car, sliding into the passenger seat. Hearing a third door close I turned to see Damon in the back with a smirk on his face.

"I hope you don't mind I tag along with you guys, something tells me Sabrina wouldn't appreciate me in her car." With out answering him Stefan started the car and followed Bonnie and Mr. Sultzman to my house. When we arrived all the lights were off and Bonnie and Mr. Sultzman were already standing on the porch, Mr. Sultzman holding the book open for her.

"I thought we should restore the safety of the house first. Elena can you go and bring me four large candles and some chalk?"

"Yea" I agreed, taking out the key to unlock the door. I went inside with Stefan right behind me to the hutch, opening a couple drawers franticly till I found four display candles. In a hurry to try and keep a hold on all four I dropped them all. Letting out a frustrated cry I bent down to pick them up as fast as I could, Stefan beating me too it.

"Hey," he said calmly with his hand holding my cheek so I would keep still for a moment. "Everything will be alright. We'll find him, I promise." He kissed my forehead and I nodded against his lips.

"I think there's some chalk in the office." I told him a little more calmly.

"Ok, come on." He kissed my forehead one more time before we went into the office where I found two small pieces of chalk, and then we headed back outside. Giving the supplies to Bonnie she drew a decent size circle on the porch in front of the closed door and placed the candles around it in a square. She then connected the candles with the chalk and drew lines connecting across as well to make an X.

Silently she stood in the center of the 'x' holding the large book open in one hand and the other one raised to the sky. She spoke from the book in what appeared to be Latin in a confident hushed voice. The flames of the candles grew about and inch and the rim of the door glowed a soft yellow. We all stood in amazement as the glow grew brighter by the second, eventually causing us to turn away.

With my eyes closed I noticed the light behind my eye lids begin to fade, turning back the door looked as if nothing happened and the candles were back to their normal burning height. "That should do it." Bonnie's voice broke the silence and she started sweeping the chalk with her foot, the rest of us picked up a candle and snuffed it out. "Now to find Jeremy I need some hair or something, which will be the easies thing to find and to work with."

"I'll find his hair brush." I went to go open the door, pausing at the knob thinking that it would burn me since the glow burned my eyes so much.

"It's fine Elena, you can open the door." Taking her word for it and hopping I wouldn't regret it later I grabbed the knob. When it didn't burn my flesh I opened the door slowly. The inside of my house looked the way it did when I left it moments before, satisfied I stepped through the threshold, Bonnie and Mr. Sultzman following right behind me. When I turned back toward the door I noticed Stefan step then stop at the door jam. Bonnie, seeing my confusion, hurriedly explained.

"The spell was to un-invite vampires into the home. That means every vampire that has been invited in must be re-invited in; there was no way to just have me exclude Katharine."

"I guess that makes sense." I looked from Bonnie back to Stefan who was right in the door way, and Damon right behind. "You may come in Stefan." At my invitation Stefan stepped through the door way, thanking me when he got to the other side, Damon was then taking his place waiting for his invitation.

"Maybe it's better if he can't come in, a lot of problems could have been avoided if he was never invited." Stefan proposed as he slid and arm around my waist. Damon put his hands against the door frame angrily.

"Really Stefan, when have I really disrupted this household since my invitation? Or does it bother you that much that maybe she wants me here sometimes when you're not around?" Stefan growled softly, if I wasn't right next to him I wouldn't have heard it. I could tell that they were both getting angry at and had to step in before someone did something they'd regret, deciding to leave out the part where he influenced my dreams once or twice after his invitation.

"Stefan that really isn't fair. Damon has been a large help recently, in fact if it wasn't for him I've would have been dead on a couple of occasions." I assured him that it was ok for him to be in the house.

"I agree with Stefan." Bonnie spoke up, getting a growl from Damon. "It's based more on a personal dislike; I guess I could agree that you can serve a good purpose when you want to."

"He is quite handy." Mr. Sultzam defended "Even if he's a complete ass."

"Aw thanks Ric, I feel the same way." Damon retorted with a roll of his eyes, then looking back to me still waiting.

"You may come in Damon" He smirked as he stepped through the barrier fixing the sleeves of his leather jacket as he went.

"Why thank you Miss Gilbert." He said with a polite nod.

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**I hope you liked it, not as juicy as the last one but hold your horses. please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the Reviews. Sorry about my mistake about Mr. Saltzman's name, and Katherine. If it's ok with everyone else I'm gonna keep spelling it Katharine because it's what comes natural and I can't keep catching myself when I'm on a roll. **

EPOV

Leaving everyone in the living room I ran upstairs and grabbed Jeremy's brush, stopping momentarily to look around his room. I couldn't believe that such a short time ago I saw him in here and now I have no idea if he is alive or dead. Giving myself no more time to think about it I ran back down stairs where Bonnie already set up the room with a dozen candles and a bowl filled with water. Giving her the brush she ripped out a good amount of hair and threw it into the bowl. For this one she didn't have to read from the book, the words just flew from her mouth with ease. After a moment the bowl began to float and the water boiled as the candles once again grew. The contents of the bowl suddenly went a blaze and I instinctively grasped Stefan's hand with a gasp getting a small squeeze in return. As quickly as the flame appeared it was gone and the bowl lowered itself back to its spot on the table.

"What did you see?" Mr. Saltzman was the first to ask as Bonnie's eyes, which had fallen closed, opened.

"I saw a large Victorian house with a foreclosed sign out front, on Bramble Street on the outskirts of town. Jeremy is tied to a chair in the basement, he looked pale and sweaty. I also saw someone who looks like your twin." She looked at me for a brief moment. "I'm guessing that is Katharine." It was a statement not a question. I felt a tear slip down my cheek as the realization hit me.

"She has Jeremy." Was all I got out before I chocked a sob. Behind my tears I saw Damon take a step toward me, like he wanted to be the one to wipe them away when I felt Stefan wrap me in his arms. Damon stopped where he was, face going hard. Choosing to ignore him I wrapped my arms around Stefan, the man I loved, letting myself be comforted. It wasn't the same as being held by Damon, not as warm, not as safe. _Stop! You're in love with Stefan remember? Not Damon…_right? _Of course! _Of course I felt safe in Stefan's arms, but it was logical to feel safer with Damon right? He was the stronger on, there fore I was safer with him.

I could hear comforting words being spoken to me but could concentrate enough to know what they were. Bonnie was rubbing my back as I composed myself. Lifting myself away from Stefan I dried my eyes to be greeted by Damon's hard face with a hint of concern in his eyes. Stefan's hand gently turned my head to look at him and away from his brother. "Come on, let's go find your brother." He said calmly, wiping a tear with is thumb pad. I nodded in agreement and he kissed my lips lightly. He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers, and led me out the door with everyone else following us. When we were all in the grass I dropped Stefan's hand and threw my arms around Bonnie.

"Thank you so much." She gave me a tight squeeze.

"What are friends for?" it was great to hear her refer to me as a friend. We both pulled away "I'm going to head home; I'd rather not be around someone who was such an influence on my ancestor. I'd be too scared if there was some way for her to influence me the way she did her." I nodded telling her I understood as she pulled me into another hug. "Good luck."

"Thank you again Bonnie."

"Lets break up the love fest ladies, I don't have all night." Damon's voice called from Stefan's car in his icy tone. Breaking away one last time we gave each other a smile then both going to our separate cars. Bonnie went off to her house and the four of us drove to rescue my brother.

The ride through town was quiet, Stefan holding my hand the whole way rubbing his thumb against my hand. Every once in a while on my right arm I felt Damon's fingers graze my skin through the space between the seat and the door. The first time it made me jump slightly getting a sideways glance from Stefan, telling him it was just a chill. Controlling my body's reactions from the touches I ended up finding them very comforting.

The car pulled up to the side of the road in the woods, Stefan turning the car off and turning toward the back. "The house is about a mile up the road, Ric and I will go through the woods and see if there is another entrance into the basement. Damon, you're the most devious."

"Why thank you Stefan, I don't remember the last time you complemented me."

"Yea, you're going to need to distract her so she doesn't hear us coming. You can go to the font door and see if you need to be invited in or not. If we see that you can walk in with out a human's invitation we'll head in. If not, Ric you're going to have to break in and dispose of the owner or get her to let me in." Ric nodded solemnly hopping that he wouldn't have to kill an innocent person.

"And how do you propose I distract her?" Damon didn't seem to keen on the idea of seeing Katharine.

"You're supposed to be charming, do what you do best." The brothers gave each other a hard stare.

"What am I going to do?" all three men looked at me like I had three heads.

"Elena, you're staying here. I should have left you stay at home but I wasn't thinking." Stefan said like he was talking to a small child.

"So I'm just going to sit in the car?" I could hear the bitterness in my voice. "My brother's in there and you want me to sit in the car?"

"It's not going to be safe." Damon tried to reason with me. "She could easily get a hold of you and use you against us." his eyes were pleading with me as his voice sounded a little harsh.

"Please stay here, we'll be back as soon as we can." I nodded defeated. Ric and Damon moved to get out of the car, Stefan opening the door but not leaving yet.

"Be careful, ok." He nodded, before he moved he captured my lips and kissed me franticly. I could tell he was scared, like he thought he might no be coming back. His hands moved to my cheeks rubbing his thumbs against my skin lightly. I kissed him back, scared for him also but couldn't help but feel so guilty.

"I love you," he whispered pulling away slightly.

"Love you too." My voice sounded so small and unsure, I passed it off as fear. He kissed me one more time lightly. "Lock the doors and stay low." I nodded as he slipped out of the car. I followed him as he joined the other two, Damon looking at me with fierce eyes. I whispered "Please be safe" I knew he heard me or he read my lips when he gave me a small nod "you better come back to me, or I'm going to kill you." At that he smiled slightly and nodded again. He finally turned around and disappeared down the road while the other two went through the woods.

It was probably twenty minutes later when the window burst and something grabbed the front of my shirt. I was slightly frozen in shock and all I heard was screaming that I quickly realized was coming from me. I knew both Damon and Stefan were too far to hear me, and it didn't matter because in the next second it felt like I was hit with a baseball bat and everything went black.

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**i hope you liked this chapter! Please Review!**


	14. Chapter 14

3rd person

Damon ran to the house, cursing a few times at the thought of what he was going to have to do. He was going to have to distract Katharine by being charming when all he wanted to do was rip her head off. What he really wanted to do was go back to the car and drive off with Elena. After that kiss he shared in the kitchen with her he couldn't help but be snappy when he saw her with his brother. It made him angry when ever he saw them together, Stefan wasn't right for her. He was always a downer, muddling Elena's color and being so gentle with her. She needed fun, to be at lest slightly care free, and passionate. Oh he could give her passion, the kiss showed that and he was hopping that that was just the beginning. By her reaction it seemed like she wanted more; the way she pulled at his hair was like she wanted him to completely swallow her, or in her words, consume her.

He put thoughts of Elena in the back of his head and put on his indifferent look as he approached the house. After he straightened his jacket he knocked on the door and leaned casually against its frame waiting for someone to open it. When the door opened he had to fight his eyes from going wide at the resemblance from Katharine to Elena. The one difference he could see clearly was in Katharine's eyes, they seemed so hard and cold, where Elena's are soft and warm ready to offer comfort and love. The other thing he looked at was her right hand where he saw an empty ring finger. The whole time he had his sexy smirk on to make it seem like nothing was wrong.

"You know, I'm truly offended, that after everything we've been through you wouldn't stop by to say hello when you came back into town." He broke the silence, smirking again at the end.

"Damon I don't know what you're talking about, I haven't left town. I just had to get away for a little while, so I came here." Katharine said, trying to keep up the charade with a puzzled look on her face.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you Katharine?" this time Katharine smirked.

"Since you know my dirty little secret we can have a proper greeting, can't we lover?" Damon could hear the lust in her voice, bringing back so many memories. Pushing back the pain he stepped across the threshold with out a problem, which was a good sign for Stefan, and stood right in front of her. They were chest to chest when Damon spoke again.

"It wasn't that hard to tell the difference." Damon brushed his knuckle against the side of her face.

"You seemed to have a trouble telling the difference the other night when you kissed me, thinking it was Elena. Is history repeating its self Damon? Both Salvatore brothers transfixed by the same woman, who just so happens to look like me." Damon kept his face a mask as Katharine's smirk grew and she placed her hand over his on her cheek. "Are you hopping innocent little Elena will choose not so innocent you?"

"Of course I was hopping for that, but not for the reasons you're thinking." Damon was thinking on his feet "The moment you stepped in for I've been working hard to get. Trying to be oh so charming to her and honest and putting up the 'maybe there's another side of him that I can bring out'" he said in a mocking tone. "So I could break Stefan's heart, then eventually hers. You know how much I loved to thrill of the chase, and what better chase than after a girl who's already in love with your brother."

"Poor innocent little thing, she has no idea what she's getting herself into with you. You really are devious, aren't you?"

"You know it baby." He ran his thumb across her bottom lip "She's nothing like you anyway, too innocent, after the chase where's the fun in that? She doesn't have that passion you always had." She looked into his icy blue eyes that had the fire that first drew her to him all those years ago.

"Kiss me Damon, you know you want to." he moved his mouth by hear ear and bit her earlobe, not so gently, earning a gasp from Katharine.

"Oh I will, but say that again, and this time beg for it." at that Katharine growled, no one told her to beg. "Always stubborn, you know you want it as much as I do, remember how good I was?" he bit her earlobe again and placed an open mouth kiss on the soft spot under it where he remembered she loved. He remembered correctly, he thought as she shivered. "I know you haven't been with anyone who's been able to make you scream as loud as I did, have you baby?"

"No" Katharine got out in a lusty whisper as he kissed under her jaw.

"Now imagine how much better I've gotten over the years." Katharine was always a very sexual being, and he knew that her imagination was running wild with the past and of what could happen in a few minutes. He had to stop himself from growling at how easy she thought he was. With one last tinny gasp, he knew she cracked.

"Please, kiss me Damon." He wanted to turn it down so badly but knew this was the only way to truly distract her from what was going to happen, simple conversation just wasn't going to cut it. So with out trying to think about it he did, he kissed her with all the pent up anger he had towards her, which she mistook for hunger. He quickly spun them around, pinning her to the wall as he dominated her mouth with his hands creeping up the back of her shirt.

Wanting to get back into control where she normally was, she ripped his shirt over his head running her nails down his shoulders, leaving a bloody trail. He growled at the pain and placed bruising kisses and slight skin breaking nips down her neck earning moans of pain and pleasure. Flashes of the past came through his mind, remembering how much he loved her desire.

-In the meantime-

After Stefan and Ric saw Damon enter the house without an invitation from a human they quickly rounded to the back of the house. They found the back entrance that most likely lead to the basement, a double wooden door locked with a chain and padlock through the handles. Waiting a few minutes to give Damon time to completely distract Katharine, Stefan ripped the chain apart with his vampire strength. He tossed the chain aside and Ric handed him a stake and a couple vervain darts that he stuffed in his pocket.

They crept through the small stone tunnel to a small wooden door with a window. Peering through they saw a man standing at in front of the door, another one in the far corner and what looked like Jeremy weakly sitting in the chair. Being as fast as possible Stefan punched threw the window and wrapped his arm around the guy's neck. In another blink of the eye he broke the doorknob and pushed the door open. Only giving the other vampire a few seconds to acknowledge what was going on Ric blew a small vervain dart at him slightly stopping his advances. The vampire that Stefan was trying to restrain was thrashing wildly, "Ric!" Stefan quietly warned before the teacher plunged a stake into his heart, stopping the thrashing immediately. Stefan dropped the body soundlessly and used his speed the get two large darts into the other vampire who was starting to get up.

Ric went over to the chair Jeremy was in unconsciously in. Ric patted his cheek a few times, getting to stir slightly. He moved Jeremy's eyelid open and jerked way at what he saw. "Stefan" he called softly, opening the lid again to show the whites of Jeremy's eyelids were red and his pupils were three times too big. The look on Stefan's face was grave.

"He's started the transformation. He's so thirsty he's unconscious." Ric's eyes widened.

"He's been turned?" all Stefan did was nod, broken at how he couldn't protect him for Elena.

"It'll be safer if he stays here, we'll comeback after we've dealt with Katharine." Ric nodded and went to go retrieve the stake from the dead vampire's chest.

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**Hope you like chapter 14! please review :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**CH 15 Third person!**

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Back upstairs kind of at the point I left off-

As Damon had Katharine against the wall with his hands running up and down her sides under her shirt he had to keep telling himself _imagine it's Elena, _to keep himself from gagging. Katharine's fingers were eagerly tugging at his hair, which he was finding rather annoying, not arousing like when Elena's fingers glided through his hair. He felt her smirk against his lips and tugged at his hair till their faces separated. She kissed down his neck hungrily, leaving small bight marks and she spoke against his skin, "You know I'm an old fashion girl Damon, I don't personally like PDA."

Damon drew his brows together, PDA? They were alone when he got here, unless…she knew Stefan and Ric were in the house. He drew her chin up with his fingertips "What are you talking about baby?" he said in his husky voice, kissing her one more time. She grinned like a child, making Damon uncomfortable and it made her look completely immature.

"Turn around silly." _Silly? _Damon thought his brows still together, but did as she insisted. When he turned his eyes grew wide as they landed on Elena bond to a chair and a gag in her mouth. There were two compelled human men, who looked like bouncers, standing behind her. Elena's eyes met his and he could see the betrayal and that she was about to cry. She knew he was just acting right? That he didn't mean those things? God he hopped so.

He felt Katharine wrap her arms under his armpits and grasp his shoulders from behind, standing on her tip toes to see over his shoulder. "I found her all alone down the street. She hasn't talked much, except saying how either you or Stefan was going to rescue her. Are you still so sure that Damon's going to save you Elena?" Katharine teased, kissing the side of his neck. She nodded to one of the bouncers to take off the gag. When she was able to speak she couldn't help but voice her betrayal.

"I trusted you, you jack ass!" Elena was praying that Damon was still just distracting and didn't mean those things but thought it would be safe to act like he did, to keep up the act for Katharine. To keep her anger up she played back what she had to witness in her mind, feeling her eyes water up with hurt. Now she knew what he felt when he saw her with Stefan.

"That's the problem with you Elena, so eager to give trust where it shouldn't be. True it took a while but you were so ready to forgive all I've done; almost killing your best friend, feeding off your other, even turning your mother." Elena felt the tears spill over at being reminded of all that he's done, _ok I think she's still fooled, you don't have to lay it on so thick. _She thought to herself, like he could read her mind. Damon could see the trust still in her eyes as she looked at him, dull but still there. He couldn't risk Katharine seeing it, he knew that he'd had to break her and he was going to hate himself for it. The more Katharine reveled in someone else's pain the less she focused on other things. So knowing that Stefan wouldn't be able to hear he hit her more below the belt.

"So ready to forgive me that you were so eager to kiss me in my kitchen, so ready to let my fire consume you. Those were the words you used, right Elena, consume? If the kettle didn't whistle you probably would have completely given yourself to me right on the counter with your boyfriend right in the other room." He could see Elena's face completely break.

"You Bastard!" she screamed, face red with anger, _I'm so sorry; I hope you can forgive me. _He wanted to run to her and kiss the tears away, tell her it wasn't true that he didn't mean any of it. Damon heard Katharine's childish laugh in his ear.

"I guess I don't blame you Elena. Sex with Stefan is nice and all, he can defiantly make you feel loved and cherished, but passion is defiantly not his forte. Unlike Damon," her hands ran down his exposed chest, "He defiantly knows what a girl wants, if you know what I mean. I mean, sex with him is just mind blowing. That kiss was mind blowing, wasn't it Elena? It just made you want to crawl out of your skin, or your cloths at lest." Elena had fallen silent a while ago, not even whimpers, as Katharine tormented her. She just looked at them with hard eyes. Damon wanted to turn and rip Katharine's head off as she spoke, but knew she was too strong.

He did grab her hand and brought her to the side of him, he felt uneasy with her not in sight. She willingly went and leaned into his side. "What are you planning to do with her, baby?"

"I was going to let her brother have her, some nice family bonding." Damon drew his brows together again.

"Her brother?" he knew she had him but didn't completely understand.

"Oh yes, I have him" she said looking like a child again with excitement "He's one of us now, and is extremely thirsty." This got Elena riled up again, the fire that Damon loved.

"You changed my brother!" her face was red with anger and she looked scary, even to Damon.

"I didn't change him." Katharine said in a sing song voice. "I found him in his room when I paid a visit to John; he was dying from downing a bottle of pills and a vile of vampire blood. It seems little Jeremy couldn't handle losing Anna due to the invention. That you gave to John, so really it's kind of your fault Jeremy is now a vampire. It was your pills by the way, so it's only right that your pills killed him and his teeth kill you." Katharine looked like the Cheshire cat by now with how large her grin was.

"You bitch!" Elena yelled rocking her chair and pulling at the ropes trying to get up to try and tackle Katharine. In an instant Katharine was in front of her and back handed her across the face. Damon had to hold his ground to not attack her, but did move closer just incase he had too. Katharine grabbed her chin forcing Elena to look at her.

"Or we could share her between the two of us lover." She turned Elena's face to look at him running a nail down the side of her face. "How does that sound Elena, being killed by one of the men you love and have forgiven for so many things? And what better way, lover, to break Stefan's heart, then to have his own brother kill her, like how you thought he killed me. How does that sound Stefan?" Elena looked to see Stefan come out from behind a door, Damon sensed him a while ago also, a little surprised that it took Katharine so long to. He noticed that Ric wasn't with him, but sensed him threw the curtained doorway behind Elena's chair.

"Damon, you don't want to do that." Stefan tried to keep calm so Katharine wouldn't do anything too rash. Damon walked over behind Elena's chair placing his hands on the top beside her head.

"Oh I think I do brother. To take your love away from you like you did mine." Katharine signaled to the bouncers who went to go restrain Stefan.

"After all she's done for you? After all the compassion she's shown you? You know you care for her Damon." Stefan tried to reason, struggling against the two restraining him. Damon let out a short forced laugh.

"Maybe if you weren't so righteous and indulged how you are supposed to, maybe you could break free of two compelled humans." even if he feeds on animals he shouldn't be struggling against humans! Then he smelled it, vervain, the men's hands were soaked in vervain and it was weakening him. _This isn't good. _Katharine was laughing now at the brother's banter that she missed what Damon caught, a flicker of something behind the curtain that was behind them. Damon saw that it was the tip of a wooden stake and quickly grabbed it and stuck it in his back pocket. It wasn't hidden well but if Katharine was kept busy and in front of him he might have a shot. And right now that shot was really all he had.

He went behind Katharine, placing his hands on her hips softly and kissed her neck again, leading her to where the break in the curtains was, where Ric was. "Would you like the first bite sweet heart?" Damon asked, going to her side and ran his finger down Elena's neck, over the pulse point.

"Oh you know I do lover." Katharine looked like a kid on Christmas, being able to take this problem off the face of the earth.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena squeaked, coming out of her silence.

"Because my child, you can't have them. Think of it like I'm doing you a favor, you're not me, and I couldn't even make up my mind. What makes you think you can? Now you don't even have to worry about choosing because they're mine, they've always have been. You were just a stand in until they found the real thing, and now they have. There's no need for you anymore."

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**I hope you liked Chapter 15! Please Review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for waiting! Sorry it has taken so long. Here is chapter 16!**

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Elena could feel Katharine's breath on her neck and the screams coming from Stefan as she was once again back handed, and all she could see was blackness and hear silence. In a second the scream came from Katharine as she jerked up straight by Ric plunging a dart into her back. It wouldn't kill her but it did back her up in time for Damon to grab her by the neck and pin her to the wall.

"That's where you're wrong Katharine, we're not yours. You can go to hell bitch." Damon said ramming the stake from his back pocket into his once love's heart. In the mean time Stefan broke out of the men's grip and knocked them out. Damon let go of Katharine and her ashy corpse fell to the floor. He looked up from his fallen love, feeling his heart slightly break, to see Ric working on getting Elena free and Stefan looking down at the fallen men. Damon gave his brother a curious look but looked back to Elena as she was coming too. Damon moved to kneel in front of her pushing back her hair from her face and calling her name softly.

When she opened her eyes she became frantic again. "Get away from me you bastard!" this brought Stefan out of his slight trance and was by her said helping get the ropes undone, which were dosed in vervain which made the process painful.

"Maybe you should leave Damon." Stefan said, not liking his brother so near Elena. Damon just ignored him.

"Elena, Elena you're fine." He whispered, still brushing her hair back to get her to look at him. "I didn't mean any of the things I said. I had to distract her, you know that. That was the only way I could distract her, to stall her long enough. You know I didn't mean those things," He looked dead into her eyes so she would understand "Everything you've don't for me means so much." Above all he wanted her to know that, which her compassion and forgiveness and trust mean so much to him and so did that moment in the kitchen. He saw her eyes soften and she nodded.

"Where is she?" her voice was small and scared. Before Damon could answer Stefan did for him.

"You blacked out honey, she's dead." Stefan kissed the top of her head as he finished his share in the ropes.

Elena shakily stood up and Stefan wrapped his arms around her middle to keep her up. "Who?" she asked, glancing at the body of the vampire who looked exactly like her still on the floor.

"I did." Damon answered and Elena's eyes went wide at the realization that Damon killed the women he searched for, for over a hundred years.

"Jeremy, where's Jeremy?" Elena franticly asked, remembering Katharine saying he was turned.

"He's fine…" Stefan tried to answer but Elena interrupted him.

"No he's not fine! He was turned! She was starving him!" she was looking around franticly, like she was trying to find her brother in the mess of bodies. Damon grabbed her face between his hands to keep her face looking at him.

"He'll be ok Elena. You go with Stefan and Ric, tell Bonnie you found him but don't lie to her. Tell her what happened to him, ok?" she nodded finding calm in his eyes and his authoritative voice.

"But what about…" she tried to ask

"I'll take care of him. I'll ask him if this is what he wants; if he does, I'll help him complete the transition. Don't worry, with me there he won't kill anyone." She nodded again.

"Thank you so much Damon."

"Welcome, I'll see you back at the boarding house later." Damon assured her, he stepped away and Stefan led her out the door.

"You had me scared there for a moment, I thought we lost you." Ric said as he stood next to Damon watching the door.

"I can take care of myself, but thanks for your concern." He said with a full of himself smirk

"That's not the kind of lost I meant." Damon's smirk fell, truth be told he thought he was going to be lost too, lost to Katharine's will. But he fought it, when he saw Elena all he could think about was _save her. _The good part was that he was completely free of Katharine, the bad was that he was in deeper with Elena.

"You were doing a risky move, behind the curtain if I was."

"I'd say it was worth a try. I was hopping what Stefan was saying was true. Do you need help cleaning this up?" Ric asked, referring to all the bodies.

"No I got it." Ric nodded and walked to the door pausing for a moment, looking back.

"It is true, isn't it?" Damon didn't answer and by his silence Ric took it as confirmation and left to go catch Stefan and Elena before they drove off with the car.

Once Ric was gone he got to work. There wasn't really much of a fight so nothing was broken, which was good. He went to the bouncers and lifted their lids open, noticing that one was bleeding slightly from the nose. "You don't remember anything that has happened tonight or anything that has to do with Katharine, all you remember is getting out of the bar and you wondered here." He said the same to both of them and dumped them on the lawn. Next he went down stairs where he found two more corpses and Jeremy, still unconscious, in the chair. Before releasing him Damon grabbed the bodies, Katharine included, and ran them to a ditch where he dug three graves and buried them. He stood for a moment looking at Katharine's grave, contemplating on saying a few words to his lost love. Thinking about all the misery she had caused him he ignored what he used to loved about her and left the mound with out a second look.

When he got back to Jeremy he was stirring slightly. Damon made work on the ropes, these not covered in Vervain so it made it a quick job. When the boy was completely free Damon started patting his cheek. "Jeremy? Jeremy wake up for a minute kid." Jeremy's eyes opened and acknowledged him.

"Damon?" his voice was weak and raspy.

"Is this what you want Jeremy? To be a creature of the night? To be a predator, a hunter, a vampire?" Jeremy gave a weak yes. With a sigh Damon lifted the kid in his arms and carried him out of the house to the front yard where the bouncers were. "Ok" he sat one of the men up, bit his wrist and let the blood flow out. He guided the wrist to Jeremy's mouth so he could drink. "That's right, slowly, take your medicine." When Damon was sure Jeremy had enough and that the change would be completed with some sleep he separated them. Jeremy chasing the arm viscously, wanting more. "Oh no, I promised your sister you wouldn't kill anyone."

Jeremy tried to tear at his arms to get at the body again. Damon grabbed him by the shoulders in a fierce grip looking him in the eyes. "Jeremy, Jeremy look at me." Damon's voice was stern, immediately Jeremy looked at him, calming down. "You don't have to be a killer Jeremy, remember who you are." The veins moved form his eyes and he looked like his old self before he passed out again. "Don't worry kid; I'll get you nice and comfortable in your new home." Gathering Elena's brother in his arms he ran threw the woods to the boarding house.

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**I hope you liked it! Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here is Chapter 17! thank you for all the reviews!**

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**Third Person**

When Damon entered the house he saw Elena wrapped in a blanket on the couch sleeping with Stefan at her feet. Ric was no where to be found. Without looking up Stefan spoke, "She wanted to stay up and see Jeremy. Ric went home, he was pretty beat."

"Should you wake her? It's safe, Jeremy will be out for a while." Stefan didn't answer him he just shook Elena's leg.

"Elena, sweetheart, Jeremy's here." Elena mumbled a few incoherent words then jerked up. Looking over the couch she spotted Damon with her brother in his arms. She practically flew over to them, when she was in front of him she placed a hand on Jeremy's face.

"He's so cold. Colder then you guys are." Her face was so worried.

"He only has one feed in his system, he's weak. He'll be fine when he wakes up and feeds again." Stefan reassured her. She nodded, telling him she understood.

"Where are you going to put him?"

"In the basement, it's the safest place for him when he's new, so when he wakes up he doesn't do anything rash. He has his phone; I'll put my number in it and leave a note telling him to call me when he wakes up. I'll take care of him, and he hasn't killed anyone." Elena's face softened knowing that Damon kept his promise. "Go get some sleep." She nodded as Stefan grabbed her hand and led her upstairs. Damon walked down and placed Jeremy on a cot in one of the cells, leaving the phone and a note so he wouldn't freak out when he woke up.

When the sun rose so did Jeremy, feeling very disoriented. He sat up in his cot and looked around the room "What the hell?" he knew it was dark but he could see everything so clearly, like he was right in the sun. His head killed, and he was thirsty, like he hadn't had water in days. Looking around again he spotted his phone with a sticky note on the front of it.

_My number is there, when you come to let me know. Or don't it really makes no difference to me._

_Damon._

"Damon?" Jeremy opened his phone to do as the note instructed, "Always so nice." He said sarcastically.

"Hello?"

"Damon? It's Jeremy…where am I?" he asked confused.

"Oh goodie, you're awake." His voice laced with fake enthusiasm. "You're in my Basement…as creepy as that sounds."

"Why the hell am I in your basement?" his voice raised, getting irritated.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. There is no need to yell. I'll be down in a second." With that he hung up and was at the small window in the door in a second. "So how you feeling?" Damon asked lightly.

"Like I could run a marathon and like I've been hit in the head with a hammer." Damon opened the door and walked into the cell.

"What exactly do you remember?" Jeremy thought back,

" I remember the chaos in the square, Anna, the talk with you, taking the pills, blacking out, then coming to in a basement with Elena" he stopped, thinking harder "no not Elena, she said her name was Katharine. Then waking up here, and I'm really thirsty, like really thirsty. Am I…am I a vampire?" he asked slowly.

"Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner." Jeremy gave him a firm look. "Oh, no need to get your panties in a bunch, all your emotions are amplified so you're going to be twice as moody as you used to be. Exciting right?" Jeremy said nothing just looking irritated again; Damon tossed him a blood packet "You're craving blood; that should help. You need to get your strength up, so it's human blood."

"Human?" Jeremy looked horrified as he stared at the packet, but it smelled so good.

"Oh I'm sorry, does that not sound delicious? Do you have a problem with drinking human blood? Well maybe you should have thought of that before you decided that being a vampire was what you wanted." Damon was getting angry, he had his choice and he chose this life, he has no right to act ungrateful.

"Sorry," Jeremy mumbled as he picked up the packet and opened it. He sniffed it hesitantly at first; feeling his face change then he gulped it down. When he finished he whipped his mouth "That was good."

"Yea I know. I talked with your sister and she agrees that if you want to live on human blood than that's fine. She thinks it's safer if you learn to control it without killing anyone rather then suppressing your instincts like Stefan does. It's your choice in the end, so if you want to live on bunnies and squirrels then go for it."

Jeremy thought about it and nodded, "As long as I don't kill anyone, I don't think I'd be able to handle that. Can I see Elena?" Damon shook his head.

"Not right now, you need to feed more and you could hurt her. The blood from a human can be very strong to your senses and make you lose control if you don't have a hold of yourself." Jeremy looked down at the thought of actually hurting his sister. "I'll hang down here with you for the day, tell you the ropes and rules about your new life, then take you out for a hunt tonight. You'll probably be fine tomorrow to see her."

Over the next week Damon was practically glued to Jeremy's side, never letting him out of his site. To Jeremy it was like vampire 101. Damon taught him how to hunt, animals and humans. He taught him control so he wouldn't kill anyone. Jeremy and Elena grew closer, no secrets separating them. They talked about Jeremy gaining enough control to go back home and return to school to at lest get a high school diploma. Elena and Damon were also getting closer, as Damon taught Jeremy how to hunt he taught Elena to cook. He was surprised at how quick of learners they both were. Stefan didn't like how close his brother and his girlfriend were getting and he was slowly getting edgier and picking small fights. Elena could feel the wall being put up between them. Even when they were out, just the two of them, he was always a little cross. When they were having a good time something went wrong. If Damon ever came up in conversation, even if it involved Jeremy, Stefan quickly changed the subject. Elena tried to get him to talk to her about what was bothering him but it never worked, he always avoided the subject.

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**I hope you all liked this chapter. please review! With Katharine dead and Jeremy a vampire what is going to happen next? Can Stefan keep a level head on Damon's relationship with Elena? Gonna have to wait and find out! send me a review with your guesses **


	18. Chapter 18

**Here is Chapter 18! I hope you like it! **

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Elena's POV

Everything has calmed down since Katharine has been out of the picture. The town has relaxed on vampire control after the Founder's Day, Caroline is out of the coma and is making a speedy recovery, Bonnie and I have patched up our friendship some and Damon was helping Jeremy. I felt myself smile as I thought of Damon, he had been such a big help. Jeremy is gaining control of his thirst and can be around me with out a problem now thanks to him. We have also been cooking new things every night, simple things and he does most of the hard stuff but its always fun. Stefan and I however have been a little rocky lately. It doesn't feel the same with him anymore, his arms don't feel right and his kisses make me feel like I'm doing something horrible. He's also rarely around anymore, or just keeps to himself when he's not glued to my side.

"Earth to Elena?" I came out of my own world to hear Damon calling me from where he was standing in front of the counter, cutting up some basil. We were in the kitchen making dinner for Jeremy's last night here, a sort of graduation dinner from Vampire 101. Tomorrow he's allowed to come home, he called Jenna the day after we found him to say he was ok and had to spend some time away to clear his head, no one could blame him with all that happened.

"Oh sorry, yea?"

"You seemed to be spacing out there." Damon told me with a grin. "You're burning the chicken." I looked down and sure enough there was a good deal of smoke coming out of the pan that I was cooking the chicken in.

"Damn," I swore under my breath, quickly flipping each breast over "Sorry about that." Damon chuckled letting me know it wasn't a big deal.

"It's fine, my superior sauce will mask the taste of your burnt chicken." He let me know as he dropped the chopped up leaves into his red sauce, I pretended to look offended.

"Well!" I exclaimed putting my nose in the air slightly. "I bet you think your sauce is just god's gift to food don't you?"

"Oh I know so." He dipped a wooden spoon into the sauce and blew on it to cool it down before he brought it to my lips, "Taste it." I grabbed his hand over the spoon and tasted it, letting out a small moan with my eyes closed. "Good?" I opened my eyes to see Damon staring at my lips.

"Yea, maybe it is god's gift to food." When I finished talking Damon lifted his hand to my chin, sweeping his pointer finger up to catch a bit of sauce that I didn't know slipped. With out looking away from me he sucked the red sauce off the side on his finger.

"You're right, délicieux." He whispered as he slowly leaned his face toward mine, I couldn't help but notice that the temperature in the kitchen rose about ten degrees in about three seconds. I would be lying if I said we've never flirted during our little cooking lessons over the past week, I'd also be lying if I said I haven't thought about that kiss we shared before we found Jeremy, but this is the first time he's gotten this close again.

"Damon…" I couldn't think of what to say so all I got out was his name and he got closer still.

"Push me away Elena." His voice was soft but challenging, like he knew I wasn't going to, and I didn't. When he knew I wasn't going to push him away he placed his lips over mine. Instantly I felt a jolt of electricity. His hands rested on my hips as he pulled me in so our fronts were flushed to each other. One of my hands stayed palm side on his stomach like I was going to push him away while the other cupped his cheek. I opened my mouth to him when he ran his tongue along my bottom lip, letting ours dance together. There was no fight for dominance from him this time; the kiss was sweet passion instead of a wild fire.

One of his hands moved to my face, caressing my cheek with the pad of his thumb as he kissed me. When I heard Jeremy's voice from down the hall "Wow something smells good," I jumped away from Damon and turned back to my cooking chicken, taking them out of the pan, my head over the heat so I could use it as an excuse for my flushed face. Jeremy walked into the kitchen, taking another sniff, Stefan right behind him.

"Whatcha making? He asked wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"Chicken over pasta with my secret sauce." Damon answered from straining the pasta in the sink. "I gave Elena a taste of the secret, wasn't it good?" I could hear the double meaning behind his words but un-betraying tone.

"Yea, it was really good…kind of spicy." I answered, composing myself really well, I could imagine the size of his grin, and I also felt Stefan tense behind me. "Good thing too, it'll help cover up the chicken. Sorry guys but I kind of burned it." I brought over the slightly blackened chicken to where Damon was dishing out the pasta. When we were all served we sat at the dinning room table.

"Dude, Damon, this is fucking amazing" Jeremy exclaimed stuffing his mouth with an over sized piece of chicken.

"Dude" Damon said mockingly "don't curse at the table. And it is isn't it?"

"How come you never cooked before?" Stefan asked

"Because I feel under appreciated with you, you never acknowledge the things that I do but when I don't do something you're all over it." Jeremy and I laughed at Damon's impersonation of a nagging house wife.

"Can you ever answer a question seriously?" Stefan barked, putting a halt to our laughter. I looked over to him confused, placing a hand over his as he over gripped the knife.

"Stefan, are you ok?" his eyes flashed to mine and they looked hard for a moment. "He was just being funny, it's what he does." If it was possible they looked harder.

"I'm sorry, of course you would know that's what he does, I forgot you were such close friends." His eyes flicked to his brother then back to me.

"Now you're acting like a child, honestly I'm surprised Elena even puts up with you; a girl like her doesn't need a child, she needs a man, don't you Elena?" Damon sneered. With a growl Stefan banged on the table and retreated up stairs, all of our eyes staying at the bottom of the stair case. "Can't even stay and stick up for himself, instead he runs away."

"Damon, don't"

"What's the problem Elena, you know you're on your last straw with him. You don't need someone who acts like a child and picks fights over stupid things. You need a man, one that you're on common ground with and doesn't feel that you need to be protected all the damn time, one who can ignite that fire in you." He was talking about himself, and he was right. At first I thought all I had for Damon was childish attraction, and who could blame my slight lust? He was too good looking for his own good, and he knew it. I ignored that attraction thinking I was crazy because I had such a good boyfriend. Now with spending so much time together my feelings for him grew, over powering the ones I have for Stefan. It didn't help that recently he wouldn't even talk to me, he was pushing me away. Then my worst fear dawned on me, I was acting exactly like Katharine, I was leading both brothers on and refusing to cut one lose and make a choice.

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**realizations can be beautiful things! what do you think is going to happen next? Is she going to make a decision? **


	19. Chapter 19

**Here's chapter 19, It's a little darker then the other chapters. **

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**EPOV**

I stood up, making my decision "I'm going to go talk to him, can you guys go hunting early? To give us some privacy?" I had to act quickly before I chickened out and ended up exactly where I started.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Damon tried to reason with me, voicing his concern.

"Positive." I said strongly, trying to convince him and myself. Without over thinking it I ran up the stairs to Stefan's room where I found him pacing, hands in his hair. "Stefan what's wrong? You haven't been acting like yourself lately." I took a step closer to rest my hand on his shoulder as he was turned away from me, I felt him tense.

"Sorry, I haven't exactly fed in a while." I nodded, knowing that all three of them get a little testy when they've skipped a meal.

"When was the last time you…?" saying fed always felt weird.

"Few days ago." My eyes widened a little that was a long time when not on animal blood, wasn't it?

"Stefan, you have to feed more then that, you know what Damon said." He let out a short laugh that made me jump slightly.

"Right the all knowing and all helping Damon." He turned to me, eyes hard "you've sure been spending a lot of time with him, what else does he say? What lies is he filling your pretty little head with?" he made a *hum* sound tilting his head to the side for emphases.

"Damon hasn't lied to me, and I didn't come up here to talk about him. I came to talk about us." He was getting closer to me, eyes like a predator; with every step he took I took one step back. "You've been different Stefan; you've been distant and cold to everyone, including me. I'm not saying it's your fault, I could tell something was bothering you and I tried to ignore it. Thinking that if we could spend some time together like we used to everything would fall into place." I felt my back hit the wall, and for the first time I realized I was scared. I was in a house alone with a vampire who hasn't fed in 'a few days' about to give bad news. But I couldn't stop, my mouth kept rambling on.

"But things didn't fall into place, you were still cold. We were both distant from each other; you had to have noticed that everything felt wrong. Like we didn't mesh as well as we used to." His hands were at either side of my head, and I had slight de ja vu from after the Miss Mystic pageant.

"Are you breaking up with me Elena?" I nodded, feeling my eyes slightly water.

"I'm not Katharine Stefan, I'm not letting history repeat itself." If it was possible his eyes grew harder and he grabbed my forearms, with a little too much strength.

"So that's it, isn't it? Are you going to him now? When it doesn't work out with one brother you're going to go to the next one?"

"Stefan you're hurting me." Instead of releasing me, like I thought he would, his hold grew tighter and I let out a gasp of pain.

"Answer me!" he growled, the veins forming in his eyes.

"It's not like that…" I put my hand on his chest, both trying to calm him down and to push him away. He released that forearm, and I thought he was realizing what he was doing. But then he grabbed my hand from his chest, entwined our fingers and slammed my hand against the wall. I could feel some bones break and tears well up from the pain.

"Then how is it Elena? Were you not planning to run into his arms when you left this room? After telling me 'we don't mesh well'?" he pushed his body closer to mine and dropped his head to kiss my neck, over the pulse point, nipping it a little too hard. "How are we meshing now, still not well enough?"

"Oh my god, are you on human blood again?" remembering this was how he acted the last time. He didn't answer me but his grin against my neck was confirmation enough. He ground his pelvis into mine and the tears finally spilled over.

"Was Damon rough with you when you fucked him? Is that why we don't mesh anymore, because I'm too gentle? When I'm like this I can be rough too, block out all thoughts of him." Now I wasn't only scared but I was angry.

"I didn't sleep with him, you know I'm not that kind of girl!" he brought his face up to look at mine, his other hand dropping my arm to stroke my cheek.

"You're right, I should have known you wouldn't go that far while you were still with me." His thumb ran over my bottom lip, staring at it. "You kissed him at lest didn't you. It's faint but I can smell him. I wouldn't have caught it on my previous diet." My eyes went wide and at my lack of denial his eyes shot up to look at mine. "So you did. How was it?"

"Stefan…" I tried to reason with him, at lest enough so he'd back away. He placed his thumb over my lips stopping me.

"Answer me Elena, how did it feel." His grip tightened over my broken hand and I gasped again in pain.

"It felt right." His eyes went red and he smirked, running his nail down my cheek, breaking the skin.

"That's a good girl. Was that so hard? We've always wanted to be honest with each other and now everything is out in the open. We both know our extra curricular activities." He licked my cheek where a small trickle of blood gathered, letting out a moan at the taste. My breath hitched with fear. "Don't worry baby," he said the pet name with a sneer "I'm not going to kill you, but if I were you I'd sleep with one eye open." His voice was menacing and he licked my cheek again. "As much as I'm enjoying this moment with you I should be going. My brother will be back soon and he is still stronger then me, especially since he just had a fresh feed." Then he kissed me with angry bruising force, after struggling against him for a moment his weight was gone and I dropped to the floor.

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**I hope you liked it! Sorry for making Stefan the bad guy, but it had to be done. Please review! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Here's chapter 20! I hope you all like it!**

**Kymberleii- I would love for you to Beta my story...however I wasn't able to PM you to ask if you would. I'm not sure how it would work out.**

**SiennaHeartJella - sorry it isn't how you view Stefan, at this point he is off his rocker and is how he is. **

**To those who like 'Rippah Stefan' (Tinkerbell90) I kinda like him too, a change of character for him. I always thought he had a real dark side after the Mystic Fall pageant. ENJOY! **

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EPOV

I felt so cold and all I could think was I got to get out of here. Shaking too much to even pull my keys out, I made one rational decision that it wasn't safe for me to drive. I ran out of Stefan's room and blindly went to Damon's; I was still so cold so I went to his bathroom and turned on the hot water. After failing to get a grip on my clothes with one hand I just sat in the large glass box underneath the spray with all my clothes on. I lifted my hand to my face to see three of my fingers at odd angles and started crying all over again from the pain of what Stefan did to me. I stopped for a moment when a line of red moving toward the drain caught my eye. Touching my cheek I could feel two wide long scratches bleeding.

What felt like hours I heard the door push open all the way and Damon stood in the threshold. The original smirk fell from his face, probably about to say something snarky about being in his shower, when he caught sight of me. I could only imagine what I looked like: clothes soaked, hair matted to my head, makeup running down my face, cradling my hand with my head to the side trying to hide the scratches. In a blink of an eye he was at the doorway of the shower. He placed his hand under the water and retreated it form at the heat.

"I was cold" my voice was small; it was true I still couldn't stop shaking as I sat under the hot water. With out answering me he turned down the heat and sat down next to me in the shower. He didn't take his eyes off me as I watched the water make his clothes heavy on his body and his hair stick to his head. With the softest face I've ever seen on him he lightly took my broken hand in his. His brow frowned as he tried to keep his composure, I knew he wasn't the type to comfort but he was trying.

"They're out of place." His voice was stern but soft. I nodded, knowing he was telling me he could reset them if I was ok with it. At my confirmation that he could fix my hand he lifted me into his lap sideways so he could get a better look and offer comfort in his safe arms. I buried my head in his neck and bit his shoulder as pain shot threw my hand as he quickly set my fingers. After the pain subsided and I relaxed into him, I felt him tense and move my hair off my cheek. He ran his finger ghostly down the scratches and let out a growl low in his chest.

"You're going to catch a cold." The hot ran out of the water and I was shivering again, he gathered me into his arms, turned off the water and brought me to his room. I felt so small and broken in his arms as he held me with one arm and dug through his drawers with the other. He placed two pairs of boxers and two shirts on his bed. He set me down on my feet making sure I was steady before he let me go completely. He picked up one set of clothes and started heading to the bathroom. When the door closed I tried to get my shirt off with one hand. The fingers were back in place but that didn't mean it didn't hurt when I tried pulling at my long sleeves. The bruise on my arms also made it difficult to move them. Giving up I just stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed in my wet clothes.

A few minutes later Damon slowly opened the door, thinking he gave me enough time to change. His brows drew together when he noticed I didn't change and barely moved. "I couldn't get them off." I explained simply showing my hand as if it was proof. He came over to me and looked into my eyes.

"Do you trust me?" his voice was soft and quiet like he was afraid I'd say no, truth is I had no reason to say no.

"I trust you." At the words he smiled slightly with relief. I turned around so my back was to him and lifted my arms up over my head. He slowly tugged at the hem of my shirt to gather it up over my head and off my arms. The cold air hit my wet skin and I felt goose bumps form all over. It has nothing to do with the fact that you're letting Damon undress you. I tried to convince myself. After I brought my arms down to my side I felt his fingers brush against the bruises his brother's fingers left on my upper arms. Then they went over a bruise on my back where I was pushed against the wall to the clasp of my bra. My breath hitched as he placed a feather light kiss on the mark and unhook my bra. Only Damon could take taking care of me into a practically intimate moment and not have me get angry. My eyes fell closed as his hands placed under my arms to lightly guide them up, not taking advantage of the moment to sneak a peak or a touch. I felt the soft fabric of his shirt run down my arms and over my head, and his lips brush the back of my neck before it was hidden by the shirt. His shirt fell halfway down my thighs so it made me feel better about the fact that he was going to be changing my pants.

I knew he could hear my heart beat quicken as he wrapped his arms around my front and popped the button of my jeans open and pulled down the zipper. I couldn't figure out if he was wearing his smirk or not as he hooked his thumbs over the band of my jeans and panties pulling them both down my legs slowly since they were wet. He was in a crouch as he gathered my jeans after I stepped out of them; he was gone for a second with all my wet clothes. Confused I turned around, but when I did he was right in front of me again, wet clothes gone. He went back into his crouch "Lift your left leg." I could hear the slight huskiness in his voice and smiled to myself that he was still being a gentlemen. I did as he told me and he slipped the left hole of his boxers over my foot, and then repeated it with the right. As he pulled up the pants he let the knuckles of his thumbs glide against my outer leg. He rose with the boxers till he was standing up straight, hands on my hips and looking into my eyes.

"I have to say, I've never gotten a women out of her clothes and into mine so fast." His comment made me smile till he was serious again. "Elena, what happened?" my breath hitched as I recalled the memory.

"I broke up with Stefan…I don't want to be Katharine, I couldn't be with him when I couldn't stop thinking of you, even if you didn't feel the same way. Things with him no longer felt right." I was speaking extremely fast to fight tears. "He's been back on human blood so he wasn't rational. He had me against the wall… and" my breath hitched again and shut my eyes tightly "he broke my hand because he thought we slept together; the way he was talking I thought he was going to rape me." The tears were falling and I could feel him on me and I started hyperventilating. My arms were placed on my head.

"Elena open your eyes and look at me." Damon's voice penetrated my thoughts of what happened earlier and I opened my eyes. "It's ok, you're safe. You're with me now, breath." His eyes held onto mine and I took a deep breath trying to calm down. "I'm not going to let him hurt you again." I nodded, knowing he would be true to his word.

"I know it's not really your thing, but can you hold me?" he gave me a weak smile as he picked me up in his arms and made his way over to the bed. He laid me under the covers and crawled in behind me pulling me into him. As my eyes were drooping his wrist was placed in front of my mouth.

"Drink a little, it'll help you heal. So you don't have to be reminded of it." I was hesitant. I drank his blood once when he forced me and didn't particularly like the experience. "It's ok, it won't hurt." His voice was soft in my ear and he kissed the back of my head. I leaned my head to wrap my mouth around the cut he made in his wrist and slowly drank. We both let out a soft moan, his blood tasted different from the first time, slightly sweet. I drank more hastily and Damon chuckled "Ok sweetie, that's all you need." With a groan I released his arm with a small kiss and snuggled back into him.

"Thank you." I whispered before my eyes closed and I just listened to him breath, feeling safer in his arms then I did in a long time.

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**How cute was that (in a sort of twisted way)! Some good Damon/Elena stuff going on. Damon can be soooo sweet. What's going to happen next? **

**I'm going to be putting up a poll soon, by the next chapter, Should Katharine Stay Dead? i dont know i dont know! Help with my decision! **

**REVIEW! **


	21. Chapter 21

**Here's chapter 21! I hope you like it!**

**Moka000-thanks for the beautiful comment :) i've really been trying in this story. dont worry Delena will be coming up more soon.**

**Tinkerbell90- you too on the beautiful! i'm trying to make Damon a little softer but not killing his real personality **

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EPOV

I woke up in the morning feeling lightheaded, but other than that I felt fine. Events from last night came swarming into my brain, the pain, the fear; I prayed it was just a dream. Trying to prove myself right I opened my eyes, hoping I would see Stefan's familiar room, I didn't. What I did see was a room that I've only gotten a good look at once before, the room of Damon Salvatore.

I turned over to see that I was alone in the massive four poster bed. I sat up instantly, not liking the idea of being alone when an angry Stefan could walk in any moment. "Damon?" I called out into the empty room. When no one answered I called again, a little more franticly this time. Damon was quickly at the door.

"Good morning sleepy head." He greeted as he walked over to sit in front of me on the bed.

"Morning"

"How are you feeling?" before I could answer I caught sight of myself in the mirror behind Damon's head. I looked a mess, my hair and make up was a disaster. I didn't care about that though my eyes focused on my cheek, the smooth, soft, unblemished skin of my cheek. Touching the area softly, afraid that the scratches would magically appear.

"Fine, I guess." I answered slowly, not looking away. Damon knew what I was looking at when he answered my uncertainty.

"Vampire blood has a natural effect that speeds up the regeneration of cells, allowing us to heal at an extraordinary fast rate. When consumed that effect is the same on a human, the blood has a way of going to where it's most needed." I nodded at his very scientific explanation, dropping my hand from my cheek and rolling up the sleeve on my shirt. True enough the finger bruises were all gone, realizing that I just preformed that task with my once broken hand I flexed my fingers in front of my face.

"Thank you so much Damon, for everything." My eyes moved from my hand to find his icy blue ones.

"No problem, I didn't want you to have to continue to see what he did to you." He placed his hand on my cheek "You don't deserve that, you know that right?" I nodded in response; it was partially my fault though. If I paid more attention, if I fought harder for him, I wouldn't be in this mess. Quickly Damon changed the subject, "How'd you like to go on a trip with me?" he asked with a warm smile.

"A trip?" my tone sounded like a 'what the hell' question.

"Yea, to get away form everything for a little while. You're out of school aren't you? Jeremy's all situated at home, your Aunt is over John's 'sudden disappearance'. All's quiet in town and your friends are alive and healthy. You need some fun, and who better to have fun with then me, huh?"

I couldn't say no when he looked at me with those pleading eyes, so without even asking where we were going I agreed. "Great! I already booked our flights, we leave tonight." He patted my foot that was under the covers and got up from the bed.

"Tonight! So soon?"

"The sooner the better wouldn't you say?" he said over his shoulder as he got out his suitcase from the closet.

"But…" I couldn't leave tonight! It just wasn't rational.

"No buts" he interrupted, setting the bag on the foot of the bed to begin packing. "I'm going to pack, and then we'll drive to your house to tell Aunt Jenna you're taking a vacation and we'll pack for you. And that," he tapped my nose "is all I want to hear on the matter missy." He started walking back and forth grabbing a few pairs of jeans, a couple shirts, a few books, and his toiletries. By the looks of what he was packing we were only going for a couple days. Before he could zipper up the bag I picked up a wide really old looking book with a bunch of papers sticking out at odd angles.

"What's this?" I asked curiously, unraveling the string from around the button that was keeping it closed. His hand appeared to grab the book and took it out of my hands.

"That is for me to know and for you to find out…maybe." He gave me an evil looking smirk that just made me giggle, he didn't scare me anymore. Quickly he placed the book back in the suitcase and zipped it up. "Get off your lazy butt and get dressed. I threw you're cloths in the dryer so you can put those back on, unless you want to go home in my clothes. You'd hear no objections from me." I rolled my eyes and crawled out of bed and into the bathroom where I found my cloths folded neatly on the toilet.

After I finished changing I headed down stairs, stopping momentarily at Stefan's closed door. Feeling a shudder run down my spine I quickly ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where I found Damon pouring a bowl of cereal. When I entered Damon handed me the bowl and instructed me to 'eat up.' "Aren't you going to have anything?"

"Why, are you offering?" he asked with that glint in his eye that made me shiver, I shook my head quickly, hearing him chuckle, and continued eating. After washing my bowl we headed out to my car and he put the suitcase in the trunk before sliding into the seat next to me. "All right, let's go pack your things and get this show on the road." During our quiet drive over to my house a question that I failed to ask dawned on me.

"So…where are we going?" I felt like an idiot waiting till now to even ask.

"Your house." he answered with a smirk, playing around.

"No shit Sherlock, I meant where are you taking me for this trip?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"

"I didn't know it was a surprise." I shrugged my shoulders, taking a quick glance from the road to him.

"Well, now it is, it's more fun that way." He teased

"How am I supposed to pack not knowing where I'm packing for?" I tried to reason, hopping to get the location out of him.

"That's why I'm going to help you, and if you end up forgetting something we can pick it up when we get there." I let out a sign knowing I'll lose this fight.

"Ok, how long are we staying?" I asked turning the car off after pulling into the driveway.

"I don't know." He said casually getting out of the car and closing the door. I followed him hastily.

"What do you mean you don't know?" I sped walked to catch up to him as he made his way to my porch. "Damon I can't just go off with you not knowing where I'm going or when I'll be back." My rational mind was starting to come back and making me second guess myself. Damon turned to me, stopping in his tracks before opening the door.

"Elena you really need to calm down. The where is a surprise, one I know you'll like. And the when is open ended; we'll stay as long as you want. If you want to leave then we'll leave, ok?" I let out a defeated sigh.

"Ok."

"Good, and besides, I already bought the tickets. I wasn't going to let you back out, they're nonrefundable." He explained as he opened the door and entered my house. I followed behind him realizing something else.

"Wait, you already bought the tickets before you even asked me." it was a statement not a question, because I knew it was true.

"Yes, I did." He answered anyway.

"How'd you know I'd agree to go?" before he could answer my aunt walked in.

"Go where?" she asked confused.

"That is the million dollar question." I informed sarcastically.

"I invited Elena to go on a trip with me. I thought with all she's been through she deserved it. I also figured that since she is eighteen and done high school there wouldn't be a problem." I knew he threw in my age to let Jenna know that it was legally my choice and she couldn't stop me if I really wanted to go. "It seems like the perfect idea before she went to college."

"A trip? All alone with you?" Jenna said slowly seeing if she was missing something. "Elena are you sure it's a good idea? What about Stefan?" at the mention of his name I felt tears well up, if Jenna knew what happened she'd do something rash, like try to find him and give him a piece of her mind.

"Stefan and I broke up, we got into a fight the other night and I can't forgive him. I really need to get away Jenna, and Damon offered to help. I think it's a great idea."

Seeing the tears Jenna's eyes went wide. "Oh sweetie what happened?" she pulled me into a hug and I flinched at the feeling of being jolted, images of being pushed to a wall flooding my mind. Jenna held me at arms length trying to inspect me. "Elena, did Stefan hurt you?" I shook my head not being able to find the words right now. She looked to Damon for conformation, he didn't say anything and I didn't know if he nodded or shook his head. "Ok, if you feel that you really need to get away then that's fine with me. Where are you going?" she asked Damon.

"It's kind of a surprise for her." He answered, Jenna nodded not pushing the question.

"Just make sure that when you get to where you're going you call me and let me know ok?"

"Yea."

"Ok, well I guess you have to go pack. And don't leave without saying good bye."

"I won't." I smiled as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Oh and can you wake your brother up? He's been sleeping all day." at the mention of my brother Damon muttered 'that reminds me' and quickly made his way up the stairs. I followed behind him to see him go into Jeremy's room shaking him awake.

"Hey kid, wakey wakey." Jeremy's eyes opened and muttered a 'what'. Damon pulled something out of his pocket, a ring, and handed it to Jeremy. "Here, so your aunt doesn't ask questions about why you never leave the house."

"Thanks," he put the ring on his left middle finger. "What time is it?" Damon looked at the clock beside Jeremy's bed.

"About two. Ok kid you need to wake up and listen. You're sister and I are going out of town for a while, I'm not sure how long."

"Why?"

"She needs a vacation." He stated shortly "Anyway, Bonnie is going to be stopping by to once again un-invite vampires into the house. When that's done you need to make sure Jenna invites you in"

"Why do we need to do that again?" Jeremy looked confused. Damon looked down for a moment.

"We need to make sure Stefan can't get in the house. Tell Jenna that no matter what not to let Stefan in." Jeremy looked at me standing in the doorway with my eyes down.

"Stefan? Elena what happened last night?"

"Nothing Jer."

"Bull shit it's nothing. Is that why you're leaving? Did he hurt you?" Jeremy's eyes went wild at the thought of someone hurting me.

"Jeremy don't go looking for him ok? He's much stronger then you and he's back on human blood. Your job is to protect Jenna, Bonnie knows and she'll help. And Elena, this trip is partially a way to lead him away from Mystic Falls." My breath was caught at the thought of being used as bait. He was in front of me in a second brushing my hair off my face soothingly. "Hey, I can protect you. You know that you're safe with me. But there isn't enough here to protect everyone, not even me. So if we leave he'll eventually follow and it'll just be me and him, and there I can bring him down or we can try to reason with him if he's not beyond that." I nodded my understanding and he smiled softly. "Good, now we need to go get you packed." He turned me around and pushed me through the bathroom to my room. "Jeremy your aunt wants you." He called over his shoulder.

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**I HOPE YOU LIKED IT! I wonder what will happen next, where are they going? the poll is up on if Katharine should come back so go give an answer. REVIEW**


	22. Chapter 22

**Here is Chapter 22! You finally get to find out where they are going! Road Trip!**

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EPOV

I got my suitcase out from under my bed and opened it to start packing. Since the trip was open ended I packed almost all of my underwear, many pairs of PJ's, and looked to Damon who was causally sitting on my bed for some guidance on what to pack. "You'll need some shorts, it'll be warm, some jeans just incase, at lest one bathing suit, some sun dresses, sandals, and anything else women pack when they go places."

"Will I need two suitcases?" I asked confused,

"Yea, probably."

"But you only packed enough clothes for a few days." I explained.

"Yea well, I'm a guy, and besides I'm all set. Trust me," he answered. I continued packing everything on his list and got an extra bag from the hall closet.

"You know I can't believe I'm going away with you without even knowing where we're going."

"Oh stop your complaining." He sounded slightly annoyed "You're going on a free vacation with yours truly; you know how many women would kill to be you?" He asked back to his teasing. I rolled my eyes at him.

"I can only imagine Damon." After I finished packing it was around four in the afternoon and Damon was now rushing me.

"Come on, we're going to be late. You women take forever to pack!" he commented as he zipped up my bag. When he was done he picked up both bags and nudged me out the door with one.

"All right I'm going!" I said in between laughs. "Geze, no need to push." We went downstairs and I went to go find Jeremy and Jenna in the kitchen. "Ok, I'm going." I hugged both of them.

"Be careful, you better take care of her Damon." Jenna said as I hugged her.

"I will, I promise." Damon's voice was so sure as I hugged Jeremy.

"Have fun sis."

"Thanks, I will." I waved one last time and headed to the front door behind Damon.

"Don't forget to call when you get there." Jenna called.

"I won't!" I reassured her. Damon loaded my bags into the trunk and took the keys from me before I could object.

"With your driving there is no way we'll make it," he answered as he got into the driver's seat. The drive to the airport was very quiet. He got both our tickets so I couldn't look at where we were going and put his hands over my ears whenever the intercom would tell us the progress of our plane. The third time he held my ears I gave him my fake death stare.

"Really, are you really going to keep doing that?

"Of course, you're not going to know where we're going." He teased with a smirk. I gave a huff and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh don't be all pouty, even though you look adorable. You know you love me." He poked my sides to tickle me, making me smile.

"Hey no fair, and it's debatable." The intercom came on.

"Now boarding flight number 231 to…" Damon quickly put his hands on my ears again so I couldn't hear where. When the intercom was off he stood up.

"That's us." He grabbed my hand and lead us to the front of the line, of course he wouldn't book coach seats, Damon wasn't a coach kind of guy. He handed the woman our tickets and we headed on the plane to first class.

I wasn't sure how long the plane ride was because after about an hour I was fast asleep. "Elena, we landed." Damon said, shaking my shoulder from his seat next to me. With a yawn I stretched my arms over my head to stretch my back from the uncomfortable position I was in for who knows how many hours.

"Where are we?" I asked, still yawning. I heard Damon chuckle, probably at my facial expression.

"You'll have to figure that out for yourself. I hope you're awake enough because I'm not going to let you go back to sleep." He stood up to retrieve our over head bags.

"Why not?" I asked with droopy eyes, ready to fall asleep again.

"It's seven in the morning. If you fall asleep then your internal clock will be completely screwed up." I stood up too and turned on my phone to check the time.

"It says it's two in the morning?" I showed him the phone as proof. Damon shook his head and handed me my bag.

"No, it's not; we're not exactly in America anymore." He explained casually, my eyes went wide.

"We're not! Where are we?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." He said with a grin "Now come on, we're getting off." I was back to being half asleep as we exited the plane, retrieved our bags, and got into a cab. I completely missed what Damon said to the cabby as I fell asleep almost once we got in. I was woken up again by Damon shaking my shoulder. "Ok, you got a little more sleep; now don't make me throw you in a cold shower." I made some sound stating my disagreement, causing Damon to laugh.

He handed the cabby some money "Merci." All of a sudden I was fully awake looking form Damon to the cabby. Without saying anything else Damon got out giving me his hand to pull me out behind him. I stood in aw as I looked out an old rock two story home. The rock had a slight yellow look to it with an old red door and a few windows with the same color shudders. Damon came up next to me with all the bags as the cabby drove away. "Do you like it?"

"We're in Nice?" I breathed, barley believing it.

"You said you wanted me to take you," he smiled "what better time then now? Maybe you'll pick up some French too while you're here." He started walking towards the door, I didn't move, still captivated by the beauty of where I was. "Do you want to come in? Or stay outside all day?" I followed him into the house after he unlocked the door. He placed the bags at the foot of the metal spiral staircase and threw the keys in a small bowl by the door. "Sorry for the mess, I haven't been here in a while to clean up." He flicked on the lights which flickered from lack of use for a moment before lighting up the room. There were sheets covering the furniture and dust on the exposed surfaces.

"It's fine." I said as I set my small bag next to the luggage. Damon went around taking the sheet off the bar stools, dinning room table, those chairs and the counter tops. He piled them into a ball and disappeared threw a doorway, coming back with a dust cloth and other cleaning supplies in place of the sheets. "Do you need any help?"

"Well, if you insist." He shrugged handing me the dust rag "could you dust off the counters and the mantel?"

"Of course." I took the rag and did as he asked, admiring the kitchen as I went. The wood of the cabinets were a dark wood with a granite counter top. His pizza oven was brick at the end of one counter, stretching from floor to make a chimney; you could tell that it used to be a fire place. He had a five burner wolf stove with a double oven a little ways down. And a butcher block table set in the middle with three stools set around it. The little area was beautiful and it all fit in its small space very nicely.

"It's beautiful Damon." I said admiring the area.

"Thank you, it took a little over a year to get it right. And it was worth every second of the wait." He took the dust stuff from me and put it in what looked like the laundry room.

"Do you have any place to just sit down and relax?" I asked since he did over the tiny living room to make a huge kitchen.

"I thought of that too," he picked up a remote and pressed a button, the picture over the low pizza oven moved up an almost invisible track and there was a flat screen TV in its place. "I usually pull out the small love seat from against the wall." He nodded to a tiny, thin, but comfortable looking love seat that was against the wall.

"Wow, tricky." I said impressed. He took my hand and led me back to the stairs.

"I'll show you to your room and bathroom so you can get changed. I have a feeling you're no longer comfortable in those clothes."

"Ok" he picked up our three luggage bags and I grabbed our smaller bags to go up the winding staircase. The detail on the metal work was just amazing. Upstairs there was a small hallway with four doors.

"That's the linen closet" he pointed to the one right at the top of the stairs, next to the only door on the right. "That's the bathroom, there should be some clean towels in there, the first door on the left is the master bedroom and the last door is the second bedroom." He pointed out. He led me into the master bedroom where the bed and furniture were all covered in sheets and the door on the other side was closed with the drapes drawn. "You can stay in here; I'll get rid of the sheets when you're in the shower." He explained as he set my bags down. I reached out to stop him, my arm resting on his bicep.

"No, I'm not kicking you out of your room Damon." I shook my head. "I'm the guest, I'll take the guest bedroom."

"You're sleeping in here." He told me "but if you really don't want to kick me out we can always share." He teased, winking at me. I actually considered it for a moment.

"Fine." I shrugged, he gave me a look.

"Really?" he asked slowly, like he heard me wrong.

"Yea, it's a big enough bed for the two of us, and I trust you. I'm not kicking you out." Truth was I didn't want to be alone. The thought of being in a foreign room in the dark scared me, even if he was just in the other room. He seemed to see my uneasiness in my eyes and nodded.

"Ok, I won't be complaining." The gleam sparked in his eyes when he thought of something naughty "now you can see for yourself what a great bed partner I am." He smirked.

"What ever you say stud." I rolled my eyes and bent over to retrieve some things from my bag. "I'm going to go take that shower. Get to getting those sheets off, I would like fresh sheets when you prove your skills to me." I didn't even stick around to see his reaction but retreated from the room across the hall to the bathroom.

"Elena!" his voice penetrated the bathroom door. "Should I have extra sheets standing by for when the original ones get all sweaty?" I felt my face blush at his comment and as visions I couldn't help ran threw my head. If a simple kiss from him could get me so hot what would sex be like with him? I bit my lip and turned on the cold water as an image of us tangled together in sheets came to mind.

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**I hope you all liked it! Please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thank you all for your reviews! I'm glad you liked Damon's witty comments :) **

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EPOV

After my cold shower I got dressed in some Jean shorts and a three quarter length sleeve shirt. It was a little cooler then it was back home, the air was still slightly chilly since it was only the beginning of summer. I pulled my hair back into a loose pony tail and put a small amount of make up on. I didn't see the need to dress up; I was hopping that we would just be staying in for the night. I exited the bathroom to see the master bedroom completely put together, looking beautiful. The light curtains were blowing in with the afternoon breeze giving me a glimpse of the beautiful scenery. I placed my stuff on my open bag that was sitting on the bed and walked onto the small balcony. The view was of rolling hills and a distant vineyard, the air was so clean you could almost smell the mulch. I breathed in the fresh air and let it clear out my brain.

I felt hands rest on my shoulders from behind and the thumbs brush against the base of my neck. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful." I said quietly knowing he'd hear me.

"I have." He said simply, brushing his thumbs against my neck again, making me smile.

"I've dreamt about this place before." I told him as I leaned my back into his chest and he wrapped his arms around my middle, making me feel safe. Funny how I felt so safe with the brother who about two months ago I would have categorized as dangerous.

"Have you? When?"

"The first night we hung out, and you told me about it."

"Was it a good dream?" he asked, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"Um hum."

"Want to tell me about it?" I thought for a second recalling the dream before I spoke.

"It wasn't that exciting; I just woke up in the bed and saw the beautiful landscape. Granted it did look different from how it looks here. It was a relaxing dream, I felt safe and happy." I paused, remembering the rest of the dream, of him shirtless and jumping on the bed with me. "You were in it." I summarized. I could feel the corners of his lips tug up.

"You were dreaming of me when you were sleeping in my kitchen?" he teased, I didn't answer. "Was I in the bed with you?" I shook my head. "Where was I in accordance to your dream?"

"You came in later." I kept it vague.

"Came into the room? My room might I add." He continued to tease. "What else?"

"You came into the room and when you discovered I was awake you teased me and I teased you back."

"Sounds like our normal, everyday encounters. Care to elaborate?"

"It's really not that interesting."

"Oh but I think it is; it had me in, it so it must be." He pressed. I let out a sigh and told him the rest of the dream.

"You came in looking for a shirt to put on after a shower and asked 'like what you see?' when you caught me staring at you. Then you were staring at me so I said 'like what you see?' then you jumped on me playfully and said 'very much so'. Then I woke up when you were about to kiss me." I was talking really fast, slightly embarrassed that I remembered the dialog of my dream. He moved his face to my ear and I felt his hot breath on my neck when he spoke.

"Stinks that you woke up when it was just getting good. I'll have to make it up to you." He whispered and placed a kiss under my jaw.

"Damon..." I placed a hand over his cheek, debating to push his lips off or hold him in place. After another kiss I realized how wrong this was. I just had an almost life threatening experience with my ex-boyfriend because of what this man did to me. So I said the words I could never say when I should have. "Damon, stop." I breathed softly, knowing he heard me. His body tensed slightly and he moved his lips away from my skin and loosening his hold on me. I instantly felt bad.

Turning in his arms I held his face between my hands to look at him. "Damon, I want this, I really do." I saw his eyes light up with relief. "It's just I've been through so much in the past twenty-four hours. And I know you'd never hurt me, but truth is, I used to be so sure that Stefan wouldn't hurt me either. But he did, and if it wasn't for you I would be so much worse off, I would have had a few constant reminders. And I'm so thankful for that." I paused brushing my thumbs against his cheeks. Letting go of his face I wrapped my arms around his middle and hugged him tight, afraid he'd run away. "I really care about you Damon and I didn't want to be Katharine so I chose you. All I'm asking is you waiting a little longer to have me, if when I'm ready you'll still want me."

He held me tight too, one hand wrapped around me and the other holding the back of my head. "And I care about you too Elena, so much. You're nothing like Katharine, she tricked us into loving her, you didn't mean for both of us to fall for you. And I have forever, plenty of time to wait for you," he kissed the top of my head lightly "And I'll always want you." He whispered laying his cheek against my hair, making me smile against his chest.

"I don't care what you say, you're a romantic." He let out a gruff.

"If you tell anyone I'll have to kill you." He leaned back to look at my face, smiling. "Want me to help you unpack? Or do you want to let it wait till tomorrow?"

"I can do it tomorrow." I answered, my stomach rumbled and he let out a chuckle.

"Hungry?" I nodded, slightly embarrassed. "We'll there's no food in the house, so we have options. We could either go to the store or we can go out to eat. Your choice." I really didn't want to get anymore dressed up then I already was so I agreed on going to the store, it would be nice to have a look around."Ok, let's get your butt in gear." He said in a teasing tone and led me back into the small house.

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**I hoped you liked Damon's softer side please review! and you'll get to see they're outing :) **


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm glad you all liked Damon being soft and cute. Take it where u can get it right? Thanks for all the reviews!**

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EPOV

On our way downstairs he picked up his designer sunglasses and placed them on his head. "Does the sun still bother you? Even with the ring?"

"It doesn't burn my body like it would without it, but I'm still extremely light sensitive. And with all the bright color stones and windows the reflection makes it worse."

"I guess that makes sense." I retorted and we went out the front door, Damon locking it before stuffing the keys into his pocket and handing me a basket that was next to his stoop.

"It's still early, if we're lucky the out door market will still have some great choices." He told me, holding out his arm, I looped mine through his and we walked down the small brick street. "Do you know any French?"

"I know about as much as anyone who doesn't know French." He laughed.

"Ok, how do you say Good morning?" he asked starting to quiz me.

"Bonjour." I answered.

"Good, how about Sir?"

"Monsieur, then Mrs. Is Madam, And Miss is Mademoiselle." I said getting ahead of him.

"Ok, how do you greet someone at night, or an informal greeting?"

"Um…" at my delay he started laughing.

"So I'm going to be your translator, aren't I?" he said in a mock annoyed tone. I just shoved him with my body weight, it normally wouldn't have fazed him but he had to stumble for the elderly couple walking by.

"Don't be a jerk," I laughed "So how do you say those things?"

"A greeting a night is Bonsoir, meaning good evening. Sault is an informal greeting, one you'd use to close friends or your brother. Here you would only say that to me, everyone else is Bonjour or Bonsoir. If you haven't met the person or if they are of a high respect you add a Monsieur or Madam at the end of the greeting."

"So I'm guessing this is a very formal language? Rules for greeting someone." I said as the market came into view.

"I guess you could say that." He stopped and looked at me grabbing onto both of my wrists as he faced me. "It's also the language of romance and seduction." He purred, without letting me go he lifted his left arm over my head so I turned with my back to him and my arms crossed as he dipped me to the side, leaning over me. That playful look was in his eyes, the look cross between a predator and a teaser. "Vous êtes si belle merde" he whispered in his husky voice that made my knees go weak. Before I could ask what he meant he stood me back up and continued walking.

The market was buzzing with life, people setting up stations and making deals, the colors were so vibrant and the smells were mouth watering. "So what are we making tonight?" I asked looking around at the different items along the stretch of road.

"I was thinking some sausages with onions and peppers on some nice bread. Something simple, I don't know about you but I don't have much energy for something elaborate." He suggested picking up some peppers to inspect.

"Sounds delicious," I complimented inspecting some peppers too, I found a good one and put it in the basket. "You know for someone who found his love for cooking in France you really stick with Italian dishes."

"I am one hundred percent Italian, but later I'll make you a delicious Beef Bourguignon." He said putting another pepper, two onions, a cucumber, four tomatoes, some potatoes and a bundle of asparagus into the basket. "Excusez-moi Mademoiselle, je suis tout ensemble" (Excuse me madam, I am all set.) When the woman turned around her eyes lit up at the sight of him, she even fluttered her eye lashes a little.

"Bonjour Monsieur," she greeted with a sweet smile that made me want to gag, she was a tall blond with bright blue eyes, probably in her early twenties. "Comment allez-vous ce beau matin?" (How are you this beautiful morning?)

"Je suis très bien" he smiled his charming smile "et vous-même?" (I am very well, and yourself?)

"Très, très bien, Êtes-vous tous ensemble?" (very, very well. Are you all set?) I tried not to look as lost as I felt in this conversation, I could only pick out a few words and the speed at which they were speaking wasn't helping me at all.

"Oui."

"Pour Vous…" she paused checking his purchases and pressing a calculator "dix euro" (for you ten euro). She calculated, smiling flirtatiously at him, I thought it was only in books where a good looking person got discounts on items, but I guess I was wrong.

"Merci beaucoup," he handed her the money and she placed stickers on his items so no other booth would get confused. "Bonne journée" (have a nice day.) He flashed her one more smile as he took my hand and led me to another booth with an array of fruit.

"She was very nice. Only ten euro for all of that?" I commented checking a peach for ripeness.

"Yes, she was." He agreed, I could feel he was eyeing me.

"She was très jolie" I couldn't help the slight jealousy in my voice; I could tell she was undressing him with her eyes. "That's how you say it right? Very pretty, très jolie?" I glanced back and she was still starring at him, not even hiding it.

"She is very pretty." His eyes gleamed as he smirked at me. "Are you jealous?"

"No! Why would I be jealous?" I tried to deny it, he chuckled.

"I can practically see the green monster coming out of you." He put his hand on my cheek turning my face to look at him. "Do you want me to show her I'm not interested?" He offered, glancing at her again, catching her starring.

"No, no it's fine." I realized how stupid I was being, he was extremely good looking, and of course he was going to be flirted with by women. I blushed and giggled at my embarrassment for acting that way. I held a peach up to his nose, to change the subject "Smell, doesn't it smell delicious?" he did as I asked and smiled.

"Yes, completely mouth watering." His eyes bore into mine as he, as usual, turned something innocent into sounding absolutely sexual.

"Behave." I tried to sound stern as I bopped him in the nose with the peach and placed it on the basket.

"You know you like me when I'm naughty." He teased as he completely evaporated my personal space.

"Oh you know I do" I teased back "It's one of the things I find utterly sexy about you." I drew my fingers under his chin one at a time, earning a smirk from him. I winked at him then turned my back to him to finish my job at picking out the fruit. I heard him mutter 'little tease'

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**I hoped you liked it! please review! And remember there is a poll on bringing Katharine back on my page...i think. **


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks for all the reviewssss here is chapter 25!**

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EPOV

After finishing with the fruit, herbs, and spices our basket was getting full. "One more stop and we can head back" he said walking down the street of the market place.

"Okay, lead the way." The whole time we were in the market we were either holding hands, arms looped or his arm around my waist. It felt natural, right, to keep the little innocent contact.

He was telling me about the last time he was in town, all the dinner parties, working at the vineyard, temporarily cooking for a restaurant in town. "Maybe we can go there for dinner, I can't promise you that the food is as good as when I worked there but it'll have to do."

"You are so arrogant." I exclaimed laughing at him when a booming voice cut through our conversation.

"Monsieur Salvatore! Is that you?" The man's English was rather good. Damon turned to see a man in his fifties with broad shoulders approach us with is arms stretched out. Damon smiled with the same excitement.

"Monsieur Bousquet" Damon and the man gave each other a hug, patting each other on the back.

"Good to see you son!" I smiled at the excitement on both of the men's faces.

"Good to see you too." The older man pulled away and looked at me.

"Who is this lovely young woman? Bonjour Mademoiselle."

"Bonjour Monsieur." I greeted back as he kissed the back of my hand.

"Francis, this is Elena Gilbert." Damon introduced us. "Elena this is a good friend of mine, Francis Bousquet."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mademoiselle Gilbert. You both need to come to my home for dinner tomorrow night. The wife would love to see you and your lovely lady friend." Francis offered

"I would hate to intrude" I said trying to be polite.

"Oh no, no trouble at all." He insisted "she would give me an earful if I told her I saw you," he nodded at Damon, "and didn't invite you for dinner."

"We'd love to; you know I have a weakness for Sophia's Crème Burlee." The man gave a dimple grin.

"We'll see you at seven then? And bring a bottle of wine would you? You've always had the most exquisite taste in wine." Damon agreed on dinner and bringing the wine. "It was a pleasure to meet you Elena."

"Francis, I was hopping to purchase some sausages off you today." Damon said as he was turning away.

"Oh of course, how silly of me. I have exactly what you're looking for." Damon and Francis spent the next ten minutes picking out sausages, in French of course, so I was completely lost.

It was about three in the afternoon by the time we got back to Damon's home. As we were putting the groceries away I asked how long Damon knew Francis. "I met him the last time I was here; he's a real good guy."

"Yea, he really seems like it. It was actually really refreshing to see you act that way. You seemed so happy to see him, it was sweet." He grinned as he was finishing up.

"I had more humanity then you may think before I returned to Mystic Falls." He said with a smug look. "His family is very good to me; he helped in the construction of my house. He's sort of like a father to me." I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind him.

"That's really sweet, I'm happy you have someone like that."

"Yea, so am I."

"Do he and his family know?" I asked laying my cheek on his back.

"His family doesn't, but yes, Francis knows I am a vampire. He helped me out when I accidentally ingested Vervain from a woman. He was a little frightened but by that point he was already treating me like a son." He placed his hands on top of mine. "He said I was still welcome into his family as long as I didn't kill when I fed and I never fed on a member of his family. I never even dreamed of doing that." His voice was somber at the thought of hurting them. "But that is in the past and I can talk to him freely, more then I could ever do with my own father." I smiled; it was great that he had a father figure, even if he was over a hundred and fifty years older.

"That's great Damon; I can't wait to meet the rest of your family." He released my hands and turned around in my arms to face me. "I hope they approve of me." I said, half joking till I realized how true the statement was. What if they didn't like me? They are a big part of his life. He saw the joking look drain out of my eyes and replace with worry.

"Elena, you're acting like a worried girlfriend." He exclaimed with a chuckle and a smirk.

"Not a girlfriend. Every friend wants to be accepted by their friend's family." I explained with a shrug, getting a bigger smirk from him.

"Oh right friend." He leaned to my ear, doing that voice that made my knees week "We're just friends, right Elena?" he asked, I was about to say 'yes' but it turned into a gasp when he playfully bit my earlobe. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that." He laughed as he trailed kisses across my jaw, nipping every once in a while as he went.

"Damon, please…" I couldn't get the word stop out as he went to my neck.

"Please what?" I resisted him once today and that was so hard to do, between the jet lag, lack of food and the slight addiction I have to him I couldn't resist twice in one day. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Please kiss me." I gave in, this was the first time I gave him permission and the light in his eyes was brilliant at the permission.

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**I hope you liked it! Im not sure what happened to the poll...i guess it never really showed up. Damon's family!ish what could possibly go wrong...**


	26. Chapter 26

**I am sorry it has been so long since I last posted, I am trying to adjust to school and get used to all this work. Here is the next chapter and dont worry it'll be getting good...I hope, just stay with me!**

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EPOV

"Love to" he whispered as he held my chin between his forefinger and thumb gently before he softly placed his lips onto mine. There was no hesitance this time, no paranoia that someone was going to walk in on us and give me a lecture. The gentleness only lasted a short period of time before something primal seemed to be released in him. Damon groaned as his kiss became hungry and I felt my back hit the pantry. At the feeling of my back hitting the hard surface the feel of Damon's soft skilled hands on me turned into his brother's hard grip. My eyes shot open and instead of Damon's raven black tresses I saw Stefan's blond. Fear over took me and I unhooked my arms from his neck to push against his shoulders, my eyes snapping shut.

"Stefan get off!" I heard myself yell tarring my lips from his, through tears that were filling my eyes. I opened them to see Damon's hurt eyes staring back at me. I couldn't believe what I just did. I was having such a great moment with him and I freaked out. "Oh god, Damon I'm so sorry…I" I couldn't figure out what to say, to explain my self, so I ran. "I…need to call Jenna." I ran from between him and the pantry up the stairs.

Getting to the room I closed the door behind me, leaning against it with my hands gripping my hair. "Oh god, what did I just do?" I kept muttering to myself over and over again. I had to calm down I needed to talk to someone. Digging through my bag I found my phone and I decided to call Aunt Jenna.

"Hello, Elena?" she answered.

"Hey Jenna." My voice cracked.

"Elena are you alright?" her voice was thick with worry. "Sweetie, what's wrong? Did Damon hurt you?"

"No, no he didn't hurt me." I assured her, "It…I don't know what happened."

"Why don't you tell me from the beginning?" She insisted, I took a seat before I told her.

"A while before I left, Stefan and my relationship was very rocky. Damon and I were becoming close friends and Stefan was getting jealous. We were growing apart and the further I got from Stefan the closer I got to Damon. We innocently flirted and I thought we both needed each other, something normal. We eventually kissed and it felt so right." I confessed

"You kissed Damon?" she asked seriously, "well I guess I can't blame you, he is gorgeous." She added lightly and I let out a small laugh.

"After we kissed nothing felt the same with Stefan. I tried to fix it, to spend more time with him but it didn't work. The second time Damon kissed me I was going to tell Stefan we weren't working and we couldn't be together anymore." Tears were coming again, but I needed to tell her. "I asked Damon to leave for a while so I could have some time alone with him. Stefan wasn't himself, he…he did hurt me Jenna."

"What!"

"He pushed me to a wall and gripped me hard, leaving bruises. He said things that scarred me so much, thinking I slept with Damon. Before he left he told me to sleep with one eye open. When Damon found me I was a mess, I stayed the night with him because I didn't want to be alone. He thought that I needed to get away and relax, to feel safe, so he took me on a little vacation."

"Oh honey, why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know, I didn't want you to go looking for him. I didn't want you to get hurt. I also didn't want you to think I wasn't strong."

"Of course I think you're strong. You should have told me." we were both silent for a while, I heard her sniffle "Why don't you tell me where you are." She said trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm in France." I didn't want to tell her where, just incase Stefan tried to be persuasive. "Damon has a small house in a nice town. The house is beautiful, it has such a large kitchen, and he renovated it to make the kitchen bigger."

"I forgot that Damon knew how to cook, he made some good pasta that one time he was over for dinner. What does it look like?"

"He has dark cabinets with granite, pizza oven, normal oven, and stove. It has two bedrooms, and a bathroom. The master bedroom has so much white and it feels so airy and relaxing. The view is breathtaking from the French doors; it looks over a distant vineyard that you can see right from the bed."

"That sounds heavenly, are you and Damon sleeping in the same room?" she went all parental.

"Of course not, he offered me his room, he's sleeping in the other room" I lied so she wouldn't get worried.

"Ok, where in France are you?"

"I don't think it's the best idea that you know."

"Why?"

"I don't want Stefan to find out; he can be very persuasive when he wants to know something."

"I guess I understand, I want you to feel safe." The mood dropped.

"Thank you Jenna."

"Why were you crying when you called?" she asked voice back to being concerned.

"Damon and I were kissing again, he backed me into a pantry and I freaked. My brain imagined Stefan and I got so scared and I told Stefan to get off." I was talking so fast, "the look in his eyes broke my heart Jenna" I was crying again.

"Oh Elena, I'm sorry. I'm sure he understands. Damon seems like a very complex person, but I know he cares about you and the look in his eyes might be worry about you and not hurt form him." She tried to explain to me and make me feel better.

"I don't know." We were silent again and my tears were wetting the pillow "I'm gonna go, I still need to unpack."

"Ok, I'm sure things will work out, and I am so sorry Elena." I hung up the phone but didn't unpack my bag; I just stayed laying on the bed looking out the window. Probably about ten minutes later I didn't move, I heard the door open and felt the weight of the bed shift. Damon's arm slid around my waist and buried his nose in my hair.

"I'm not normally an open guy, but talk to me Elena." His voice was gentle.

"I'm so sorry Damon." I whispered.

"What are you sorry for?"

"That look, you looked so broken. I didn't mean to say that, I was just flooded and I couldn't breath." He put his hand on my cheek that was on the pillow and turned my face to look at him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He wiped my tears with the pad of his thumb. "I should be sorry, you told me this morning you weren't ready and I pushed you anyway. You told me to wait and I couldn't control myself, after what happened I shouldn't have done that."

"I asked you to kiss me Damon."

"But I didn't need to push it that much though, the last thing I want is to make you feel uncomfortable and not safe with me." he looked so open with me, so sweet and so caring. I placed my hand over his and smiled weakly.

"You can be so sweet when you want to be." he smiled back a calming smile.

"You seem to bring it out in me." I turned my body to completely face him. "I promise to behave and be a perfect gentleman, no matter how hard that might be." I curled up into him laying my arm over his slim waist.

"Maybe only for a little while, I like it when you're sexy and have that bad boy persona. And when you kiss me like that everything else is cleared out of my mind. But being caught be between your hard chest and the hard wood I felt like I was trapped like I did the other night."

"I'm glad you like me that way because I wasn't sure how long I could have kept that up. It's getting late, are you hungry?" I nodded, remembering how hungry I was. He led me down stairs where we ate the sausages and found ourselves back in bed lying in the same position we left.

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**I hope you liked it! it is a little slow but i got stuff planned *evil face* please review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**thank you for all the reviews here is the next one!**

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3rd person

Damon could here Elena turn on the shower across the hall and yell out a squeal as the hot water hit her body, making him laugh. He looked around the room recalling all the things she said to him, about the cooking and cuddling. It scared him, about the changes he seemed to be making without even knowing it. He didn't even notice how sappy he was till she pointed it out. He's never been the sappy one, which was always reserved for his brother. Damon always wanted to throw up after witnessing a sappy moment between the two when they were together. A scowl formed on his face at what he had become; he was acting like a whipped boyfriend. It wasn't him to cook a romantic dinner, take walks on the beach or see chick flicks just because a girl asked him to. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, he wasn't cut out for being a boyfriend, and he wasn't a boy either.

He had to stop all this, but she did deserve to relax a little especially after all that has happened. He continued to think over his changes as he unpacked his own suitcase into his already pretty full drawers. Maybe he was over thinking this; he never had anyone to be cute with and to have such an effortless good time with. And that was what this was, an effortless good time. His scowl was slowly turning back into a smile when Elena's phone rang. Since Elena was still in the shower and Damon never minded going against someone's privacy he answered the phone on its third ring. "Elena's phone, Damon speaking." He greeted into the phone.

"Hello Brother," the familiar voice came through the speaker, the scowl once again formed on his face.

"Stefan." He greeted in a whisper, walking onto the little deck and closing the door to make sure Elena didn't hear him. "What do you want?"

"Well obviously since I called Elena's phone I wanted to talk to her." His voice was tight.

"She can't get to the phone at the moment, but I will be happy to pass on a message to her if I find it necessary." He teased, something that came naturally to him.

"I would prefer to talk to her Damon."

"I don't think she wants to talk to you, she isn't happy with you, which makes me feel like a giddy school girl."

"We had a couples' fight, and we'll work it out if you let me talk to her." He sounded edgy ignoring his brother's comments.

"A couples' fight, really Stefan, is that what you thought that was?" Damon's hand gripped the railing with extreme force trying to keep himself from yelling as his approach turned serious.

"Yes Damon, I don't expect you to know what a couple's fight is. If I talk to her we can straighten this all out."

"You fucking hit her Stefan," Damon growled "I'm pretty sure this is beyond straightening out."

"You think? You really think she won't forgive me? After everything we've been though together and all the shit you did to her, you think she won't forgive me? I am the good brother, remember?"

"I've never hit her!" Damon snapped again, loosing his cool, collected tone.

"You almost killed her two best friends, not to mention the people you have killed." He was trying to turn this around on him, and Damon wasn't going to have that.

"This isn't about me brother."

"Oh but it is. If you haven't been medaling in our relationship and filling her head with lies we wouldn't be having this problem."

"Well I wasn't going to let her waste her time with you, she is better off with me anyway. We have more fun together and she doesn't have to worry about me draining her dry because I can control myself. Unlike you, I know you started a different diet again, and I know you have no control over yourself."

"I went on human blood to protect her against Katharine, because she wasn't as safe when I was eating animals. Of course I wouldn't have been tempted to start again if she never feed it to me in the first place."

"Don't you dare try and blame this on Elena!" Damon growled again.

"Why not? We both know she is, and that guilt will most likely drive her to come back, especially when she realizes you can't handle her." Stefan spoke calmly.

"I can't handle her? Brother I can handle her just fine."

"No you can't. You've never been in a real relationship. You don't know how to act, and we both know you can't stand being tied down. You need your freedom, to drink from all the pretty girls you want, and you know you can't get that when you have a girlfriend." Stefan knew how much he hated the term, girlfriend, it made him sound like an immature boy. At Damon's hesitance in a retort Stefan spoke again. "Why don't you tell me where you guys are so I can come pick her up?"

"You can go to hell." Damon snapped, loosing his temper.

"Not before you brother." Stefan said coldly, "You packed your things in a suitcase right? You mind checking the front pocket of the light blue one of hers for me? See if there is a photo in there?" Damon growled again and was by the blue suitcase like the wind, opening the front pocket and pulled out a photo. Damon's grip on the phone tightened as he stared at a picture of Elena and Stefan in each other's arms and huge smiles on their faces. He remembered seeing this picture in Elena's mirror the last time he was in her room. "So I'm guessing you found it, if she wasn't thinking about forgiving me then why would she bring a picture of me on your little vacation?"

"You put this in her bag didn't you?" Damon tried to sound convincing, even though he knew it wasn't possible, but how else would he know this picture would be in there?

"You would hope that was true. When she went away for that weekend with Caroline and Bonnie she took that picture with her, saying she would when ever she'd have to travel. Isn't that cute?" Damon could tell his brother was smiling at the other end of the phone. "I guess she isn't as mad at me as you think, after all I was unstable at the moment and was under a lot of stress. I have to go, have a good day brother and tell Elena I miss her and…that I'm sorry, would you?"

"Go to hell." Damon snapped again.

"What no witty comebacks? I must have really caught you off your game."

"Maybe you're right that she isn't that mad, but she is scared as hell of you. But don't worry I'm distracting her as best as I can, I have been told it is hard to think straight when I kiss women." It was Stefan's turn to let out a growl. "You have a good day brother, Elena just shut off the shower and I would hate to miss her in a towel and wet skin."

"Go to hell!" Stefan yelled.

"What no witty comeback brother?" Damon threw his words back at him and hung up Elena's phone, turning it off so he wouldn't call back. Tossing the phone on the bed he stared at the picture he was still holding, why would she bring this picture if she was so angry and scared of Stefan? It made Damon so mad that she was thinking of going back to him after all the shit he did to her! He slammed the photo on the dresser, grabbed his coat and rushed out of the house. He needed to feed and he didn't want to see her.

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**I hope you all liked it! I enjoyed this chapter and sorry I am not a reliable updater...i do my best**


	28. Chapter 28

**I hope you like this one! sorry for the wait**

EPOV

After turning off the shower I immediately missed the warmth and quickly wrapped the towel around myself. I started to get dressed, getting as far as my shorts, when I realized I forgot a bra. Smacking myself in the forehead I stood around in the middle of the bathroom in my own stupidity. After five minutes of pointlessly standing there I rewrapped my towel to go face the taunting of Damon. Opening the door I walked hesitantly down the hall. "Damon if you're up here I need you to keep all comments to yourself." I called out, knowing once I said it he would do exactly that.

I entered the bed room, peeking in first; seeing it was empty I closed the door and finished getting dressed. When I looked presentable I made my way downstairs. "I got to hand it to you Damon I thought you were going to run upstairs when I said not to make fun of me" I said turning into an empty kitchen. "Damon?" I called out confused. Getting no answer I called out again a little louder.

I looked around the counters to see if there was a note of some kind telling me where he went. Finding nothing I made my way back upstairs "Damon!" I called again thinking he was playing around. I checked the guest room and his room again, calling his name every once in a while. I stood in the doorway wondering where he went. Looking over to the bed I noticed my phone against the pillow. Picking up the phone I turned it on, once that annoying little jingle ended I flipped open my phone to call Damon. I thought I would be easier to go to the recent calls list. But when I did the first number was Stefan and the icon said the call was answered. I pressed the end button right away not wanting to see it and think what that conversation included.

Scrolling down through contacts quickly I dialed Damon's number; it rang and rang going to voice mail. "Damon, It's Elena, wondering where you are. Please call me back." Sitting down I didn't know what to think. Stefan called me and Damon answered it. Why would Stefan be calling me? He couldn't think I wanted to talk to him, was he trying to apologize? I couldn't forgive him. Hearing my stomach growl brought be back from my thoughts. Walking downstairs slowly I made my way to the kitchen. Standing in the middle of the kitchen I was contemplating on eating anything. Still not knowing where Damon was or when he'd he back I decided it would be safe to eat something.

I cut up one of the peaches Damon and I picked up yesterday and poured some fresh cream over them with some sugar. Picking up my bowel and a cup of orange juice I walked out to the back yard. The view was beautiful, just like it was up stairs. There were four white wooden lawn chairs on the grass a little ways out the door. The breeze was warm as it riffled my hair. Sitting in one of the chairs I looked out over the vines that stretched over the nearby vineyard. You could smell the vines and the sun was so warm against my face. I ate the freshest peaches I've ever had looking over the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

I ate in peace and silence, my mind running over where Damon actually was. He has to be back soon, maybe he had to feed... That had to be it. The thought of Damon's lips on some other girls neck mad me a little uneasy. Back home he had blood bags so I never really thought about him drinking from an actual human. I didn't know if he was drinking from a person or if he was going to pick up bags at the local hospital. I had to stop thinking about which one he was doing. Leaning my head against the chair I had to relax.

Getting too restless I got up and went back inside to see if he was finally home. "Damon!" I called once I got back inside. Closing the door behind me I washed my plate in the sink. "Damon are you home yet?" I still got no answer. Whipping my hands on the back of my jeans I awkwardly stood in front of the sink staring out into the kitchen.

Not knowing what to do I went back upstairs. Going into our room I noticed a piece of paper on the dresser. Thinking it was a note that I missed earlier I picked it up only to let out a small gasp. Staring back at me was Stefan, holding me close to him, both of us smiling. What normally seemed like a great smile looked more like an evil grin from Stefan. "What the hell is this doing here"

I looked around the room frantically trying to figure out where this came from. This picture is supposed to be in my room, on my mirror. Why was it on Damon's dresser in France! My frantic eyes landed on my blue suitcase with the front pocket open. I can't believe i forgot to take that out! I couldn't be blamed entirely, my mind was in a daze while I was packing and I completely forgot that i kept a copy of that picture in my suitcase.

Stefan was laying on my bed as I packed my blue suitcase for my weekend away with Bonnie and Caroline to get away from the hectic things that were happening around town. "I'll only be gone for two days, do you think you can handle everything without me?" I asked.

"I think I can handle everything just fine." Stefan answered as he started to get up. "You just need to relax and have some fun." Stefan wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I'm going to miss you." I said turning around and giving him a hug. I saw a packet of newly developed pictures sitting on my dresser.

"I'm going to miss you too" he gave me a smile. I reached around Stefan picking up the package. Riffling through the pictures I picked out my favorite picture, both copies.

"This is my favorite picture, the one that I asked Tyler to take at the carnival."

"That is a good picture of us." He agreed. I placed one copy on my mirror and then walked to my suitcase.

"I'm gonna keep this is in here; so whenever I travel you'll be close by." I put the picture in the front pocket and zipped it up. I gave Stefan a kiss on the lips before zipping up the whole suitcase.

I came out of my little cloud from the past. Damon must have found the picture, or Stefan told Damon about it. Then Damon was probably so mad that he just left without saying anything. Damon's probably thirsty, he's mad and I have know clue where he is. Picking up my phone again I dialed his number, once again getting his voicemail. "Damon this is Elena, where are you? We really need to talk, please call me." hanging up I started pacing the room. What am I supposed to do? What if he hurt someone? Was I supposed to go look for him? I was in a foreign county not knowing the language. I couldn't ask if anyone saw him and I would eventually get lost.

**Please review !**


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